


Reylo: Player One

by ElleRen31



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Microsoft, Nintendo - Freeform, Reylo - Freeform, Rivalry, Romance, Suggestive Themes, Video & Computer Games, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-07-29 18:13:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 50,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16269662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElleRen31/pseuds/ElleRen31
Summary: A Modern Reylo AU.Working for a large video game company sure does have its perks. When Rey is sent on assignment to the E3 convention in Los Angeles , she thinks it's just another day on the job. She doesn't expect to have a memorable run in with a tall and handsome man on the demo floor. A man who just happens to be employed by one of the rival video game companies. Can the star-crossed lovers overcome long distances and their competitive work environments? Or will it be Game Over?





	1. Player One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! First attempt at an AU here. I've been very inspired by reading several Reylo AU works lately and decided to write one myself. I'm very excited about this story since it gives you - my readers - a tiny glimpse into my life. And when I say tiny, I mean, like a blink. But i'm glad to share more of myself with the people who enjoy my stories. I hope you enjoy reading it!

“Are you sure you can handle this?”

“I’m sure.”

“Because this is big. Bigger than big. Huge!”

“Stella - I’ve got this.”

Stella sighed as she adjusted her glasses. She took a step back from her coworker, giving them a look-over.

“Oh, I can’t believe they decided to start you off with E3.” She said, shaking her head. She sighed again. 

“But what can you do?” She mused as she laid a hand on her small, yet prominent baby bump. “It’s not like I exactly planned on being pregnant during the convention season…..”

Stella lifted her hand and put it comfortingly on her coworkers shoulder.

“You’ll be great Rey. I know you will.”

Rey smiled at Stella.

“Thanks Stella.”

“But I want you to know if you need anything - ANYTHING - text or call me. Please!”

“I will.” Rey nodded.

And with that, Rey Niima departed from the Nintendo campus in Redmond, Washington - headed to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to catch a flight to Los Angeles.

\- - - - - - - - -

Sitting at her gate, Rey multitasked between eating her pre-flight Starbucks muffin and playing her Nintendo DS. She looked up briefly from the handheld device and looked around the waiting area.

She had been working for Nintendo for a while now. Not quite a veteran, but definitely not a rookie. Even now, she would still have the occasional ‘DAMN! I work for NINTENDO!’ moment, which would then be followed by a thrilling rush of adrenaline. Rey wondered if that feeling would ever go away.

If you had asked Rey if she ever imagined she would be actually going to the massively popular gaming Electronic Entertainment Expo, otherwise known as E3, she would have laughed in your face. People like her within the company didn’t go to E3. That was for the higher ups. The big wigs. And big she was not. 

Nonetheless, a convention this size needs all the help that they can get. Stella had gratuitous knowledge of practically every Nintendo product. She was a great asset to the marketing department, so she was their go to girl when rounding up the additional help required for the convention season.

Rey and Stella worked closely - but only when the job called for it. Otherwise, Rey was left to her own device to make sure her daily tasks were accomplished. It should have been no surprise that when Stella’s OBGYN advised her not to travel so much while pregnant with her first child, that Rey would be considered as her temporary replacement.

Rey had told Stella she was fine. ‘Stella - I’ve got this’ she had said. But as the departure time for her flight got closer and closer, Rey found herself worrying. Did she have this? Would the marketing department even like her? What if she somehow messed up horribly? 

A speaker crackled to life above her head, announcing the boarding process for her flight had begun. She closed up her DS with a snap, quickly shoving it in her purse. She wiped muffin crumbs from her lap before she stood, discarding the paper bag the snack had come in. She reached into her back pocket for her ticket, glossing over the details again.

She could do this. After all, she was used to running the smaller demo events around the Seattle area. This would be nothing but a bigger version of one of those events. She could do this. Everything would be fine. It was just another day at work after all.

During her stay, Rey was sharing a hotel room with a girl from named Rose Tico. Rose was extremely friendly and talkative. She and had been roommates for the last three years of convention seasons. Rose was excited to meet and work with someone new for a change.

“You’ll love the guys.” Rose told Rey as they headed down to the hotel lobby early the next morning. “And they’ll love you.” She said, giving a friendly nudge to Rey.

“Especially Poe. He’s a big flirt.” She said as they fell in line for Starbucks with the other hotel guests. Judging by all the video game themed shirts, it was obvious they were here for the convention as well.

“You’ll meet Snap and Kay later tonight. They’ve got a completely different schedule from us.” Rose explained. “It will just be you, me, Finn, and Poe working the demo floor.”

Rey nodded in understanding, trying her best to remember all these names and absorb all this information.

“But don’t tell anyone -” Rose whispered as they inched forward in line. “I’ve got a big crush on Finn.”

Rey didn’t know who Finn, or any of the other people Rose mentioned were. But if Rose liked them, more than liked in Finn’s case, Rey was sure she would like them too.

“I won’t tell.” Rey said to Rose. Rose beamed.

“You’re going to have such a fun time. I promise.” Rose continued to blabber. “Don’t get overwhelmed. I know it’s going to be super chaotic once you’re in there, but trust me - you’re going to love it. E3 is AMAZING.”

\- - - - - - - - -

Hell. E3 was absolute hell.

Ben Solo thought these exact same words every year he worked this event. He grumbled as he stared out across the crowded demo floor of E3. Throngs of bodies and illuminated screens as far as the eye could see. This was probably the worst smelling year by far. The patrons certainly were old enough. Shouldn’t they have heard of deodorant by now? 

The two young men in front of Ben playing ‘Fortnite’ finished their turn, giving each other a high five before they walked off, animatedly discussing their excitement about the game. They grabbed some swag from the nearby table manned by a tall blonde and headed back onto the demo floor. Ben waved the next set of participants forward. Two more eager male participants snatched up the XBox controllers and started the game.

Manning the booths was easy enough. Let the people play, shoo them off when their turn was over, make sure they didn’t rage quit and destroy the demo machines - or heaven forbid - try to steal any of the consoles. It was a long day for sure. By the end of it though, all you wanted to do was sit down and consume copious amounts of alcohol. Still, he had to admit it was fun to work the event. Especially when you got the downtime to actually enjoy the convention. IF you got downtime that is.

Ben flicked wrist as he checked his smart watch. Hux was late. His thirty minute break had turned into a fifty, and Ben was not happy. He had to go to bathroom. The large coffee he downed this morning ready to work its way out of his system. Ben glanced around the room again, trying to see if he could spot the unmistakable shock of red hair of his coworker in the crowd. He impatiently tapped his foot as the time crept up to fifty two minutes.

“I’m back! Anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Came a sharp voice from behind Ben.

Ben turned to see Hux, fidgeting with his lanyard.

“You’re late.” Ben hissed. “Breaks are thirty minutes!”

“You’re given thirty minutes to eat.” Hux snarkily replied. “I ate, took a bathroom break - AND - I scored this sweet hat from the Bethesda booth.” He said, jamming the black hat with the Fallout 76 logo on top of his ginger hair.

“Whatever.” Ben grumbled. “I’m taking my break.” He said, turning on his heel and leaving the booth.

He maneuvered this way through the crowd in a beeline for the restroom.

“Dude, I’m telling you - next year, Nintendo is going to sweep the Video Game Awards.”

“Dude, how can they not? I can’t wait to get back in line for the Smash demo.”

“Dude, I know.”

Ben rolled his eyes at the guys who had just entered the restroom, raving about the new Super Smash Brothers Ultimate demo. He felt it was all anyone wanted to talk about this week. Even working for a rival company, he couldn’t escape it. The concerns of Microsoft Quarter 4 sales falling short due to the highly anticipated release of the competitors fighting game was a frequent topic among the office.

He finished at the urinal and washed his hands, hurrying to the concessions to grab a snack. He was determined to make it back to the booth within the allotted break time frame, just to rub it in Hux’s face. He wolfed down the expensive concession cheeseburger and a handful of fries. He gulped the last of his water, disposing of the bottle in a nearby receptacle before he headed back into the mess.

He weaved in and out of the crowd, back to the booth where Hux was doing less of his job and more of chatting up their fellow associate - Gwen Phasma - as he leaned casually against the table she sat at. Gwen had the easy job, she even got to sit down the whole time. She was in charge of the giveaway table - offering up a multitude of Microsoft pens, bags, stickers, even bottles of hand sanitizer. Gwen didn’t even look like she was paying attention to anything Hux was saying to her. She scrolled through her phone with one hand, extending swag bags with the other as the participants exited the booth.

“Oh you’re back!” Hux said, straightening as Ben approached. “I was just telling Gwen that we should hit up Coin-Op tonight after our shift is over.”

“We can go there anytime.” Ben said, annoyed. “Besides, it’s probably going to be packed.”

“Well Gwen has never been, and I thought it would be fun.” Hux said. Hux jerked his head towards Gwen and mouthed ‘please?’ to Ben. Ben sighed.

“Sure. Sounds great. You in Gwen?”

“I guess.” Gwen replied, her eyes still glued to her phone. Hux gave Ben a weak smile as a means of thanks. Ben replied with a curt nod. He knew Hux had a ‘thing’ for Gwen. Lord know why. She had to be at least an inch or two taller than him and looked like she could snap him in half if she really wanted.

Hux took over for the giveaways so Gwen could take her break. The crowd was beginning to thin as more and more patrons moved to go watch, you guessed it, a Smash Brother’s Championship. Two boys, college freshmen Ben assumed, were currently occupying the console at the booth. No one else was in line at the moment, so he let them go ahead and take a second turn. The friends high fived each other and started a new round.

‘If I see one more friggin’ high five…’ Ben thought to himself, slightly shaking his head. It was going to be a very long day.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey’s cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much. 

She directed the seemingly never-ending line of convention goers through the queue as they lined up for a chance to try out Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. She and Rose passed out pins to the participants while Finn and Poe monitored the consoles. It was very crowded at the Nintendo booth. Elsewhere inside the Los Angeles Convention Center - Snap Wexley and Kaydel Connix were currently being live streamed on YouTube as they interviewed game developers and producers about the upcoming games Nintendo had just announced that morning.

“Hey! Rey!”

Rey glanced up to see Rose, waving at her to catch her attention from the opposite side of the queue. Rose squeezed her tiny frame past the crowd as she made her way towards her, issuing apologies of ‘excuse me, pardon me’ as she went.

“Rey, you’re more than welcome to take a break if you want.” Rose said to her while bobbing with adrenaline.

“Oh, are you sure?” Rey asked, looking at the mass of Nintendo fans waiting around in line. “It’s awfully busy.”

“They’ll be here a bit.” Rose said, waving a hand at the line.

“What about you and the others?” Rey asked, looking towards Finn and Poe who were adamantly discussing the games new features with a group of people in line.

“We’re used to it.” Rose said, winking. “Go on, go! Enjoy yourself!”

Rey smiled at Rose and handed over her stack of pins.

“Thanks Rose.” Rey said.

“Don’t mention it!”

Rey wandered away from the booth, taking in the sights of the convention center. There were plenty of other booths. Some small, others big. She passed a giant booth dedicated solely to the Blizzard game ‘Overwatch’, the line was filled with cheering fans as they watched footage from those inside booth playing.

She got herself a hot dog and a water at the concession stand, careful not to spill any ketchup or mustard on her new shirt. She took a seat at the concessions, reflecting on the day so far as she ate. Her nerves had ceased soon after they had arrived this morning. Just like Rose had said, Finn and Poe were great. Poe even gave her a hug right off the bat, welcoming her into their convention family.

“I bet Stella is going stir crazy not being here.” Poe had said.

“You have no idea.” Finn responded. “She lives for these things.”

“But we’ve got Rey, and we couldn’t be happier.” Poe said, winking at her.

Rey finished her lunch and threw away her waste. She took a quick trip to the restroom before heading back onto the demo floor. She walked around the rest of the room on her way back to the Nintendo booth. By now, a Smash Brothers tournament was taking place on the main stage. She could see Snap and Kay on the big screen hyping up the crowd.

She neared by a hard to miss display advertising the game ‘Fortnite’. Colorful videos of game play flashed on multiple screens around the booth. Characters in bright clothes performed funny dances. And there was something about a llama? 

Rey was drawn to the catchy music and neon lights. The game had just been announced that morning that it was coming to the Nintendo Switch console, and fans were delighted. She headed towards the booth to get a better look. As she approached, she saw the back of a tall man with broad shoulders. He had dark hair that hung down close to his shoulders. His arms were crossed behind his back in almost an authoritative stance. His bicep muscles were tight as he clenched his hands together. He surveyed the booth in a manner just as intimidating as his figure.

Rey hung back on the sidelines of the booth watching two boys in Dragonball Z t-shirts play the game. She peeked up at the man, noticing his long face angled face. A lanyard similar to hers peeked out from underneath his shag of hair. She inched closer to the booth, a decision she nearly regretted as the man working the booth was alerted to her presence.

\- - - - - - - - -

Glimpsing a hint of red from the corner of his eye, Ben turned his head to glance behind him.

Standing just outside the exit of the booth was a girl. She wore a red tee shirt emblazoned with the E3 logo. Her chocolate brown hair was fashioned up into three buns. It was quite an interesting hairstyle, he had to admit. She was watching the boys play their game from where she stood. Her hands were clasped in front of her badge, which was hanging from a lanyard that was also decorated with the E3 emblem.

Ben felt his palms begin to sweat. Was it getting hot in here? It was Los Angeles in June. Of course it was hot in here. The girl must have felt his stare because brilliant hazel eyes snapped up to meet his gaze.

‘Shit!’ He thought. He had been caught.

She offered him a small smile.

“Are…. You here to try out the game?” He found himself finally asking, trying to find his words.

She issued a small shrug.

“Just taking this all in.” She replied. Ben immediately picked up on her accent. It was music to his ears.

“First E3?” He asked her, wanting to hear her speak some more. She lightly laughed. Even better.

“Is it that obvious?” She asked.

“Well, most people actually come to play the games, not watch them.” He said, shooting a look in the direction of the gaming tournament that was currently being live streamed on the big screen. He looked back to the girl.

“Want to give it a try?” He asked, indicating the console in front of him - still occupied by the two freshmen. The girl shrugged again.

“Why not?” She replied.

“Alright, time’s up.” Ben said hurriedly to the boys.

“Hey!” One of the boys protested.

“You had your turn, go get your stickers, thanks for playing.” Ben said loudly. The boys set down the controllers and trudged their way over to Hux grumbling. Ben managed to catch the word ‘asshole’ being slung his way, but he didn’t care.

He handed the girl one of the controllers. He picked up the other one and started the game.

The girl watched the intro in silence. Ben’s eyes occasionally flicked down towards her, trying to gauge her reaction.

“You a big gamer?” He asked.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” She replied.

‘God, Solo! What a stupid question to ask!’ He scolded himself.

“Good point.” Ben replied.

He watched the girl as she moved throughout the map, a sliver of pink peeking between her lips as she bit her tongue in concentration.

“You’ve never played this game before, have you?” He asked her after a minute. She shook her head.

“What gave it away?” She asked sheepishly.

“Your character is running headlong into that wall.” He replied, pointing to her screen.

“Oh! I thought I was first player.” The girl admitted. In the glow from the TV screen, Ben could see a hint of pink fill her cheeks in embarrassment.

“No. I’m player one.” Ben said, his fingers flexing around his controller. “I’m always player one.”

“Always?” The girl asked, almost with a hint of sass. An eyebrow raised at him.

“Always.”

The girl eyed him for a moment before turning back to the game, this time her eyes trained on the proper on screen character. It wasn’t long before an explosion rang out and the words ‘#1 Victory Royale’ popped up on the girls screen.

“You just took me out!” Ben exclaimed. He was shocked, annoyed, angry, and if he was honest - a bit turned on.

“I like this game.” She said, handing the controller back to Ben. “It’s releasing on the Nintendo Switch later today. I’ll have to download it once I’m off work.”

The words practically went in one ear and out the other.

“Work?” Ben asked, unsure if he heard her correctly. 

She nodded as he looked her over once again. The puzzle pieces fitting themselves together. The E3 shirt and lanyard. The badge with the words ‘STAFF’ printed on the bottom, right underneath the oblong racetrack logo of Nintendo. He felt his heart plummet to his stomach.

“You… You work for Nintendo?” He asked her. She nodded again, this time with the hint of a smile on her lips.

“Yes. Though I really ought to work for Sony. I fancy blue far more than red. It’s my favorite color.”

Ben’s brain partially melted hearing how she said the word ‘fancy’.

“I ought to work for Nintendo then, because my favorite color is red.” He found himself saying. She laughed.

“Green isn’t so bad.” She admitted with a shrug. “I have an XBox at home too, though I arguably don’t play it as much as I do my Switch.”

“You’re allowed to play competitor consoles?” He asked her. She nodded, followed by a shocked look on her face.

“Are you not allowed to play other consoles?” She asked him.

“No, I can.” Ben said, shaking his head defensively. “It’s just…. Nintendo is…”

“Let me guess - for babies?” She snarkily replied. Ben frowned. At least she was the one that said it, not him.

“It’s just -”

“We actually have more rated M for Mature titles than ever before now that the Nintendo Switch has launched.” The girl prattled on proudly. “Doom, for example. Skyrim. Bayonetta 1 and 2. And Dark Souls, once that is released.” She listed.

“I get it.” Ben said. “Still, you guys mainly focus on kid games. That’s what you’re known for. Microsoft has so much more range at least.”

The girl smiled.

“Why do you think I have an XBox then?”

He felt his lips twitch into a smile at her reply. She glanced down at her watch.

“I really ought to get back to my booth. My break is almost over.” She said. Ben found himself nodding wordlessly at her.

“Well, it was nice to meet you….” She trailed off, imploring for his name.

“Ben.” He said, extending a hand to her. She grinned as she reached out to shake his hand. His hand was so large he was afraid he was going to crush her petite hand.

“I’m Rey.” She said.

“Rey…” He repeated. It was an usual name for a girl, but for her - it was perfect.

“Nice to meet you too.”

She flashed another smile before she turned to exit the booth.

“Don’t forget a sticker!” Ben hurriedly called after her.

Hux held out a sticker of a purple llama shaped piñata to Rey, wearing a skeptical and grumpy look on his face. If Rey detected the severe disdain Hux had on his face, she didn’t show it as she plucked the sticker from between his fingers as she left the booth.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey pocketed the llama sticker as she made her way back to the Nintendo booth. Judging from her lap around the building, it was the most popular booth there. She made her way back to her station, seeing Rose in full promotion mode. She was passing out freebies like she was Oprah. A tiny, Asian Oprah. The crowd was loving it. Poe laughed at the scene, Finn shaking his head.

“Rey! You’re back!” Rose said, shoving a handful of lanyards at her. “You have a good break?”

“It was great.” Rey answered, unable to keep the smile from her face. Rose’s eyes lit up.

“You’ll have to tell me about it!” Rose shouted over the crowd. “Later, at the after party!”


	2. Insert Coin

“Here’s to another E3 in the bag!” Poe shouted over the noise of the crowded bar.

“Here, here!” Finn echoed as various shaped glasses were raised in the air in a toast. The glasses clinked and Poe and Finn quickly downed their beers with Snap beginning a chant of ‘chug!’. The girls chimed in with Snap, Rose banging her fists on the table.

Finn finished first with a flourish, slamming the glass on the table in triumph. Rose shrieked with glee. Finn pointed a finger across the table at Poe, laughing at his loss.

“You barely had me!” Poe said, grinning despite the laughter.

“Another round over here please?” He said, waving to garner the attention of a server.

“Man, I love these outings.” Poe said, slinging one arm around Kay to his left, the other around Rey to his right. Rey felt her face flush at the contact.

“It’s a shame we don’t get together more often outside of the convention season.” He continued to muse.

“As soon as it’s over we’re thrown into prepping for the holidays. We don’t get time to rest until January. And before you know it, the cycle starts over again as we get ready for the next convention season.” Finn explained.

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Poe said, waving a hand at Poe from above Kay’s shoulder. “It’s just so much fun when we get together, ya know?”

“Oh my gosh you guys.” Rose said, scrolling rapidly through her smart phone. “You should see all the Twitter comments from Snap and Kay’s live stream. It’s kinda juicy.”

“What? Let me see that!” Kay said, reaching across the table as Rose passed over her phone.

“ ‘Forget about Smash Brothers, I wanna smash with Kay Connix’? What does that even mean?” Kay asked.

The boys burst out laughing.

“It means they wanna throw down with you. You know, in bed.” Finn said to Kay.

She blushed, the full of her heart shaped face turning red. She nervously fiddled with her blonde hair.

“Where are the comments about me?” Snap asked Rose.

“You’re married!” Rose said to him, appalled.

“Doesn’t mean a man doesn’t want to know if he looks good - am I right?” Snap said. Poe and Finn nodded in agreement.

Rose frowned as she scrolled through her phone some more.

“Oh! Here’s one: ‘Snap’ me off a piece of that daddy beefcake.” Rose read aloud. The table burst into laughter.

Finn wiped tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes.

“Oh man. I’m calling you that from now on.” Finn replied.

“Just wait until my wife hears that one.” Snap laughed, taking a large swig of his beer.

The server brought another pitcher of beer to the table, Poe and Finn slapping at each other’s hands over who got to refill first.

“I won so I get first dibs.” Finn said to Poe.

“Don’t hog all the foam.” Poe whined.

“I wish Stella were here.” Rose said, setting down her phone and reaching for her drink. Her eyes bugged at Rey.

“Oh my gosh, that probably sounded so rude of me!” Rose hurriedly apologized. “That came out wrong. We are so happy you’re here Rey.”

Rey shook her head at Rose as she lowered her own drink.

“It’s fine. I know how much she loves her job.” Rey replied. “There isn’t a place she would rather be than work.”

Rose’s head bobbed quickly in agreement.

“That’s exactly what I meant.” Rose said, reaching for her drink again. She raised her glass.

“To Stella!” She cheered.

“To Stella!” The others repeated, raising their glasses in another toast.

“Let’s not forget that in Stella’s absence, we have a great new friend and honorary member of our convention family - Rey.” Poe said, turning his head to her and winking. He raised his beer glass.

“To Rey!”

“To Rey!”

The table cheered again, followed by more laughter and smiles. A scene that did not go unnoticed by the newcomers seated at the bar.

\- - - - - - - - -

As Ben had previously predicted, Coin-Op was packed. An arcade bar is a popular attraction on the daily, but when E3 is in town, everyone has games on the mind. So naturally, the tourists in town for the convention flocked to local establishment.

Tables and booths were packed. The bells, whistles, and lights from the surrounding arcade games and pinball machines were already giving him a headache and they had only stepped in the door. He needed to sit and he needed a drink. In that order.

Hux nudged his side as he pointed to a section of space at the bar that had just freed up. Ben nodded, heading in that direction.

“You guys actually like this place?” Gwen asked as she settled into a seat at the bar. Hux nearly clambered to sit next to her.

“It’s not so bad when it’s not as busy.” Hux said. “The beer selection is great. The games are just a bonus.”

“Mmm.” Gwen replied, looking around at the bar with aversion.

They placed their orders with the bartender.

“I am so glad today is over with.” Hux grumbled. “If I see one more person doing a stupid Fortnite dance, I swear I’m going to go crazy.”

“Even more so than you already are?” Ben replied snarkily.

“Ha ha.” Hux laughed sarcastically in return.

“As soon as we’re back at work, I’m going to request a different booth for Comic Con. I swear I’m going to have nightmares about purple llamas now.”

“I think they’re adorable.” Gwen replied.

“Really?” Hux asked. Gwen nodded as she sipped her beer.

“What can I say? The little buggers grew on me.”

“Oh.” Hux said, frowning in thought. “Well, maybe they’ll grow on me too.” He replied, clearly backtracking on his previous statement to impress her.

A burst of loud laughter cut through the bar. Hux turned his head in the direction of the outburst. His face twisted in disgust.

“Ugh. Look. The Nintendorks are here.” He grumbled before taking a long swig of his drink. “Those damn plumber lovers think they’re such hot shit.” He continued to complain. “Just because they won game of the year for Breath Of The Wild. That game was total trash.”

Ben leaned back in his seat to see around Hux. Sure enough, nestled in the back corner of the bar was a booth filled with six people - three girls and three boys. All still wearing their E3 shirts and lanyards.

His grip tightened around his glass of Jack Daniels as he saw her. The girl from the demo floor. The girl who one shot him during a round of Fortnite. The girl with the brilliant hazel eyes. The girl who works for Nintendo.

Rey. 

She was sitting at the edge of the booth, a drink in hand. The group toasted not once, but twice - back to back. The man she was sitting next to slung an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him. She began to laugh.

“You alright?” Gwen asked him, interrupting his thoughts.

“What?” Ben asked, a little bit too harshly.

“Looks like you’re trying to crush your glass with your fist.” Gwen points out.

Ben looked down at his glass, not realizing his hand had tightened around the glass, knuckles white and veins popping. He quickly relaxed his hand.

Hux gave Ben a concerned look and glanced back over at the booth with the Nintendo crew.

“Oooooh. It’s her, isn’t it?” Hux said with a sneer as he recognized Rey from afar. “Didn’t she one shot you?”

“Yes.” Ben replied gruffly.

“Too bad I missed that.” Gwen said, peeking over at the group. “The great Ben Solo, being taken out by a noob.”

Hux snickered at this.

“She’s cute though.” Gwen added.

Ben stood up from his seat, abandoning his drink.

“I’m going to go smoke.” He said to them, a pathetic excuse to be left alone.

He knows smoking is a horrid habit, but somehow every time he thinks he has finally quit - he falls back into it. Stress being the main factor. Stress from work. Stress from his friends. Stress from his parents, especially.

He takes a guilty drag on his cigarette as he stands outside the bar on the crowded street of Downtown Los Angeles. He tried to pinpoint what it was about Hux’s words to him inside the bar that set him off. Was he angry Hux called him out for being defeated in a meaningless game? Was he angry that Rey had beginners luck? Was he angry that Gwen pointed out the obvious - that Rey was attractive?

Ben wasn’t a stranger to attractive girls. He had a few girlfriends here and there, sure. Nothing serious, but he certainly was not a virgin by any means. He, however, did recall that none of his girlfriends ever liked video games. When he was in high school, being a gamer was considered nerdy. Nowadays, you were considered an outsider if you DIDN’T play video games of any sort. That included the hoards of mindless mini game apps that are available for your phone.

His mind wandered back to his encounter with Rey on the demo floor. She obviously liked video games, and she was good at them too. Perhaps a relationship with her would be different from his past ones. Having someone to talk about games with, without them rolling their eyes. Someone willing to play with him in co-op mode…

Fuck, what was he thinking? He barely knows this girl. All he knows about her is her name and who she works for. And that right there was a big issue. Nintendo was based out of Washington state. She’s not even from around here! Not to mention there was Hux’s blatant hatred for the company.

Somehow, unbeknownst even to himself, Armitage Hux had become Ben’s best friend over the last few years. He never really understood why Hux hated Nintendo. Maybe his loyalty to Microsoft ran so deep he couldn’t bear the idea of any involvement with the family friendly rival. He would definitely have plenty to say to Ben if he started seeing one of their employees.

FUCK! He was doing it again. Imagining some sort of fantasy romance with practically a stranger. Tonight would be the last night he would ever see her anyways. At least not until next E3, if that. And even then, that was a big ‘if’.

Frustrated, he tossed his half smoked cigarette on the ground, crushing it quickly underfoot. He would go back inside, finish his drink and not think about her ever again. He wouldn’t even look in the direction of her booth. Nope, not even a glance. Out of sight, out of mind.

Ben headed back inside and made a beeline for the bar, eyes clearly focused on his abandoned glass of Jack. Hux was talking Gwen’s ear off again, animatedly using his hands to gesture about whatever the topic was. His hand reached out for his drink and lifted it up to his lips, quickly knocking back the remainder of its contents.

As his head lowered, the glass nearly slipped from his hand as his eyes landed on a particular brunette playing an arcade game right across from the bar. Her back arched as she leaned into the wooden console, legs splayed lightly apart. Was it hot in here too? Damn this weather!

He motioned the bartender for a prompt refill. He was going to need it. He was doomed.

\- - - - - - - - -

As much fun as it was sitting with her new friends, being witness to Rose flirting with Finn all night wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Poe was currently caught up in a conversation with Snap and Kay.

She grabbed a handful of game tokens from beside the beer pitcher and excused herself from the table. What was the point of an arcade bar if you don’t play some games while you’re here? She wasn’t really good at pinball, and the Donkey Kong console was currently being occupied, so she opted for Ms. Pac-Man instead.

She slid the token in the machine, the TV inside the old school style console blaring to life with lights and sounds. She handled the joystick like a pro, running up and down across the dot filled maze, dodging the ghosts left and right. It had been one of her favorites as a kid. Just mind numbing enough to block out the dark thoughts of her traumatic childhood.

The damning sound of error beeped at her as Ms. Pac-Man collided with a ghost. Shit. She had let herself get distracted. 

“Blasted cherry-chasing dot-muncher…” She muttered to herself as she reached into her back pocket for another token. She pulled out a gold coin, her fingers fumbling over the lip of the pocket - the token sliding from her grasp and falling to the floor with a clink.

She bent down to grab the coin as it tried to roll away from her, but a large hand reached the coin first.

“Allow me.”

Rey’s eyes flashed up to the owner of the hand who retrieved the token. It was Ben, the guy - scratch that - the MAN from the Microsoft booth.

His dark brown eyes never left hers as he slid the token into the quarter slot of the game, the friendly chime of the start menu played out as they continued to stare at each other. She took in every detail of his face. Each beauty mark and mole. Those plush lips. That luxurious hair. Hair like that on a man should be a crime.

“Thanks.” Rey finally said, breaking eye contact and blushing as she turned towards the game.

“Fancy seeing you again.” He said to her.

“Fancy that.” She cheekily replied as her hand wrapped around the joystick.

She could feel his eyes on her as she played. She tried not to notice how he propped himself against the console with his elbow, his bulging biceps on display. Those damn muscles. He must lift weights. He nursed a dark amber drink in one hand, the other hanging lazily at his side, thumb notched in a belt loop.

“Did you enjoy your first E3?” He asked, breaking the awkward tension that hung in the air between them.

“I did, yes.”

“I suppose you go back home tomorrow?”

Why would he be asking about that? She harshly jerked the controller, narrowly avoiding a ghost. Dammit. She was getting distracted again.

“Yes. I leave in the morning. I take it you’ll be headed home as well?”

He shrugged a giant shoulder.

“Home is twenty minutes away.”

“Oh.” She replied, unaware that not all companies would be flying their employees in for the convention.

“Where is home for you?” He pried.

“Seattle. Redmond actually. Most people are more familiar with Seattle though.”

“I see.” He paused as he swirled around the liquid of his drink.

“So does everyone in Seattle have a British accent?”

She smirked at his question.

“Oh yes. We in the Emerald City are far superior than the rest of the United States, thus we speak the Queen’s English.” She replied sarcastically.

She peeked up at him, catching his sly smirk in regards to her answer. Her face became solemn as she returned back to the game.

“I was born in London. Moved here when I was six with my Uncle - right after my parents died.”

Ben shifted uncomfortably.

‘Way to go Rey. Revealing your dramatic past to a complete stranger.’ She internally scolded herself.

“Sorry to hear that.” Ben mumbled. Rey shrugged.

“It is what it is.” She replied.

She didn’t know what came over her, but she allowed the incoming ghost to crash into her, ending the game.

\- - - - - - - - -

He was a man possessed as he approached her. His free palm sweat and he quickly rubbed it down the side of his jeans to help rid of the sensation. The way her body leaned into the frame of Ms. Pac-Man was hypnotizing. The slimness of her legs, her bowed back accentuating the way her skinny jeans hugged against her rounded bottom.

She reached a hand towards her back pocket, his eyes following her every move. The token she had pulled from her pocket slid from her fingers, landing on the floor on its side, rolling towards him in a twist of fate. She bent down to grab the token but his long arm reached it first.

“Allow me.” He charmingly said, right before he deposited the token into the coin slot of the console.

Her eyes lingered on him, longer than he had expected. He held her gaze, noting the dusting of freckles that crossed the top of her nose and cheeks - something he had neglected to notice in the dim lighting of the demo floor. She finally looked away, occupying herself with the game.

His pathetic attempts at small talk seemed to be going well. He made a joke about her accent which she took in stride, throwing another joke back at him. That’s when it all went downhill. Apparently her past wasn’t exactly a topic she wished to discuss. But how was he supposed to know? After all, she was still a stranger to him.

He had gravelly grumbled an apology to her.

“It is what it is.” She replied with a shrug.

The game cried out with error as Ms. Pac-Man was struck by the orange ghost. Ben frowned. She had been playing the game so well up until now. Was it him? Was it what he had said?

Abandoning Ms. Pac-Man, Rey breezed past him and he blindly followed her. She paused in front of the Spacegun console, quickly slipping in a token.

“Mind if I join you?” He found himself asking. She smirked again.

“Only if you think you can handle Player 2. Because when I play -” She said, touching a finger at her chest. “- I’m always Player 1.”

Ben smirked as she threw his words from earlier back at him.

“Player 1, huh?” He asked as he set his drink aside before reaching for the plastic shotgun tethered to the console. “Does your boyfriend ever get to play as Player 1?”

“Nope.” Rey replied, hoisting the plastic gun up to her shoulder like a professional hunter. “Don’t have a boyfriend.” She replied as she headshot the gangly alien that charged the screen of the game.

He could feel his lips twitch at her answer. So she was single. That was good for him. Wait, why was that good for him? He’s never going to see her again - remember?

“You’re good at shooting.” He complimented her as he watched animated blood continue to splatter on the console TV.

“Thanks.” She replied again, adjusting her stance.

“You ever play games online?” He asked, taking out the next alien that charged the screen.

“Sometimes.”

“Any particular games?”

Rey placed the gun back on its holder after the game ran its course.

“A little bit of this, a little bit that. Like I said, I don’t play my XBox as often.”

“Maybe you should.” He encouraged. She shoved her hands in her back pockets, elbows out to her side as she stared at him again. He could see a hint of her front teeth as she bit down on her lower lip.

It was positively boiling in the arcade. Perhaps the A/C was broken.

“Maybe I will.” She replied, titling her face up and him and smiling.

“You have a gamer tag?”

He certainly wasn’t about to ask for her phone number, or if she had a Facebook. Hell, he didn’t even know why HE still had a Facebook. He was never on the damn thing.

“Yeah.” She said, sort of laughing as she answered. She reached into her other back pocket and removed a rectangular piece of cardstock.

She unclipped a pen from her lanyard and scribbled something atop the card before handing it over to him. He took it from her and glanced down at it.

‘Rey Niima, Retail Representative.’

“You have business cards?” He asked her.

“I’m in field sales. It’s in case stores need to contact me.”

He looked down at the card again. Besides the Nintendo logo she had scrawled the words ‘Scavenger92’

“Do you have a gamer tag?” She asked with a hint of sass.

“I do, but I don’t have business cards.” Ben replied.

She reached into her pocket again and pulled out another business card.

“Jesus, how many of those do you have on you?” He asked. She giggled.

“At least five more.”

She handed him the card and her pen. He noted the cardstock felt slightly warm. Probably from being pressed up against that pretty little backside of hers.

‘Stop it Solo!’ He scolded himself, gripping the red Nintendo Switch pen a little too tight. He pressed the pen deeply into the card as he wrote down his gamer tag before handing the pen and card back to her.

She looked down at the card and snorted.

“Kyl0R3n? What kind of name is that?”

“I came up with it when I was in high school.” He admitted, embarrassed. “I thought it would be cool to combine bits of my mothers family name with my last name.”

“What is your last name?”

“Solo.”

Rey smiled a little. She bit her lip again. Suddenly the smile left her face as someone approached from behind. Ben turned to see Hux.

“Hey Ben, Gwen’s getting bored so she’s going to head out.” he said. Ben nodded. He looked quickly between Rey and Hux.

“Uh. Rey, this is my friend Armitage Hux.” Ben introduced.

“It’s Hux. No one ever calls me Armitage.” Hux said, extending a hand to Rey.

Just how many drinks has Hux had if he’s offering to shake the hand of a Nintendo employee? Still, Rey politely shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you.” She said.

“You coming?” Hux pestered Ben. Ben nodded.

“I’ll be there in a second.” He told him.

“All right, I’ve got to take a piss.” Hux said, turning and wandering off towards the bathrooms.

Rey stifled laughter.

“Sorry about him.” Ben apologized.

“It’s fine. I ought to get back to my friends as well.” She said, leaning up on her tip toes to see over Ben’s shoulder at the booth where Kay and Rose were still sitting.

“Right…” Ben said. “Well. It was nice seeing you again… Rey.”

Rey blushed slightly.

“It was nice to see you again too.”

“See you around online?” He asked, holding up her business card.

“Sure.” She answered. She offered him a small wave.

“Bye!”

“Bye.” He said as he watched her walk back to her friends. He turned quickly and went back to the bar to pay his tab. Hux was right, Gwen looked absolutely bored. She was tapping away on her smart phone as he handed the bartender his credit card.

“You looked like you were having fun.” Gwen quipped to him.

“I was just talking to her.” Ben said defensively.

“Uh huh.” She replied in a tone that suggested she did not believe him. She put down her phone and turned in her seat to face him.

“I see the way you look at her. It’s clear you like her.”

Ben could feel the tips of his ears redden. He was glad his long shag of hair hid this from her. Gwen picked up her phone again.

“You’ve got a big problem on your hands buddy.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked.

“She’s only in town for the convention.“

“I know that.”

“I’m sorry, but your princess is in another castle. Best if you just forget about her and move on.”

 

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey sauntered back towards Kay and Rose. Rose smiled at her as she slid back into the booth.

“Sooo…. Who was thaaaaaat?” Rose asked, playfully drawing out her words.

“I met him on my break, on the demo floor. His name is Ben.”

“Oooo. A developer?” Kay asked.

Rey shook her head.

“I don’t think so. He works for Microsoft.”

Kay and Rose shared a look, smiling at each other.

“Awwww! It’s like Romeo and Juliet!!!” Rose squealed.

“What do you mean?” Rey asked, frowning.

“You know? Star crossed lovers from rival households?” Kay answered.

Rey blushed.

“It’s not like that.” She said, shaking her head.

Her thoughts immediately went to her business card in her back pocket. She found it humorous he asked for her gamer tag instead of her phone number, like a normal guy. Then again, there was something about him that was different from the other men she had ask for her contact information. It was almost endearing how he had asked. As if he didn’t want to scare her off, or come on too strong. Strong like those massive arms and hands of his…

Rey shook her head again, shaking outrageous fantasies from her mind.

“Besides, I won’t see him again. So there isn’t anymore to say on the matter.” Rey told the girls.

“I dunno.” Rose said as she played with the umbrella from her drink. “Comic Con is in a month, and they always tend to shove us right next to Microsoft every year.”

Rey glanced towards the bar, hoping to glimpse Ben one more time - but he and his friends had already left.

“You never know!” Rose said in a sing-song voice. “Anything can happen.”


	3. Friend Request

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay in an update. Writers block is the worst and this is nothing but a filler chapter. That's right, you will have to wait until next time for Comic Con! ;) So sit back and enjoy if you will.

It was the weekend following E3 and Rey was grateful for some downtime. Stella had talked her ear off the first day back about how things went. She seemed pleased that Rey’s first convention gig went off without a hitch, but Rey could tell she was disappointed she had missed out.

“I’m sure it will be just as fun next year.” Stella said.

“Yeah… Next year.” Rey had muttered with a frown.

Next year. When Stella would return to the convention circuit while Rey stayed back working the field. Why was that such a bother to her? Was it because she had a taste of the big leagues? Or was it because that meant she wouldn’t get to see Ben again? It had to be the first answer, because Ben was merely an acquaintance. A tall, burly, handsome acquaintance at that. 

On a rare sunny afternoon, Rey went to the local Farmers Market for some groceries. The market, like much of the surrounding Seattle area, was overpriced. But it was within walking distance, so the prices still beat out having to pay for gas and tolls - not to mention suffering through hideous amounts traffic. 

Rey found her mind wandering as she walked past the produce stalls. When Ben had asked for her gamer tag, was he just being polite? Or did he actually care to connect with her? Rey’s previous boyfriend, Todd, had played video games. But Todd played them like a teenage boy on summer break. In his underwear, with Cheeto fingerprints smudged on his shirt as he stayed up until the wee hours of the morning.

‘I wonder if Ben plays in his underwear…’

She could feel her face grow as red as the tomato in her palm. She shouldn’t be thinking such things. But, God - did that man have some muscles! When did he ever have time to play video games? He probably lived in a gym with a body like that. She quickly placed the tomato in her shopping basket, adding two more before hurrying on to the next stall.

She arrived back at her apartment that afternoon. The basket of fruits and vegetables slung over her one arm, the other clutching a brown bag of breads close to her chest. She kicked the door shut behind her.

“I’m home!” She called out to the seemingly empty apartment.

A delighted chirp answered her announcement. A sandy colored tabby ran over to greet her, rubbing against her ankles.

“I’m happy to see you too, buddy.” Rey told the cat as she hefted the groceries to the tiny kitchen of her one bedroom apartment.

The cat meowed up at her as she began to unpack the food.

“Yes, I brought you something.” She answered as she removed layers of produce from her basket. She pulled out a chunk of cheese wrapped in thin plastic. She peeled back a corner of the saran wrap, breaking off a tiny piece before kneeling down and letting the cat nibble it from her fingers.

“That’s a good boy Jakku. Good boy Jak-Jak.” Rey sweet talked to the cat. She scratched him behind his ears as he purred delightfully. Now that he had been satisfied with his snack and attention, Jakku trotted off back to the underside of the couch - one of his favorite hiding spots.

Rey finished putting the groceries away, washing her hands at the sink. She turned around to survey her apartment. There were a few additional items on her to do list for this weekend. She was behind on laundry from being out of town last week. The basket inside her room overflowing with t-shirts, shorts, and underwear. Her eyes landed on her backpack from the trip, leaning against a bookshelf next to her entertainment center. The E3 lanyard dangled from the front pocket. She probably should unpack the bag, but decided against it since she would just be repacking it in just a few weeks time.

Her eyes moved towards the XBox system set neatly on the bottom shelf of the entertainment center. The crisp white console had a thin layer of dust atop of it. She rounded the couch, approaching the console. She puffed out her cheeks as she blew the dust from the top of the XBox, using a hand to wipe away the remaining film. She pulled open the drawer underneath the TV removing the matching white controller from its depths.

She kicked off her sandals and folded her legs underneath her as she settled down on the couch. She pressed the symbol on the top of the controller to start up the console, the whir of the interior fan creating a soothing hum. The glow of the home screen was welcoming. Her avatar was severely outdated, the character still wore the Christmas sweater she had applied the last time she had been online.

‘This will not do.’ She thought to herself as she quickly entering the screen to adjust her avatars clothes.

It wasn’t before long there was a chime, shortly followed by a notification pop up that she had one new friend request. Her pulse quickened as she swiftly completed her avatars changes before switching back to the menu screen. Quickly selecting the ‘Friends’ tab, her heart skipped a beat as she saw that the request was from none other than Kyl0R3n - aka Ben.

She quickly accepted the request, the console now alerting her to that Ben was currently online.

\- - - - - - - - -

He slept in longer than he should have. It was a Saturday and his apartment was trashed. He had neglected to tidy up before E3 started and he still had yet to clean once work had calmed down. Piles of laundry, the box of recyclables that needed to be taken out. He had next to nothing in his refrigerator, last nights pizza box still propped on the kitchen counter.

Despite his growing list of chores, he was still tired from the work week. So he put off his chores to zone out on his leather sofa watching Netflix instead. If anything, he could use the chores as an excuse to avoid hanging out with Hux, should he happen to invite him out for drinks. He considered himself a homebody, preferring to stay home instead of bar hopping all night - which was Hux’s idea of fun.

He was half paying attention to show when the familiar notification tune interrupted the program. He snapped out of his funk, blinking several times to make sure what he was reading on the screen was correct.

‘Scavenger92 accepted your friend request! You are now friends with Scavenger92’

Another notification blipped.

‘Scavenger92 is Online.’

“Oh shit.” He said to himself, snatching the controller off the coffee table.

He paused Netflix and quickly scrolled to the Friends tab on the main menu. Without even thinking, he selected her profile and chose the option to ‘Send Message’.

Kyl0R3n: Hey.

Hey? All he could say was ‘Hey’????

He hastily thumbed the joystick back and forth across the keyboard on the screen as he concocted a follow up.

Kyl0R3n: I see you’re on your XBox.

He palmed his face. What was he doing? It was obvious she was on her XBox. What was it about her that was making his brain spasm? He was halfway through what was sure to be another pitiful reply when the console dinged with another message notification.

Scavenger92: I took your advice.

The corner of his lip twitch with the hint of a smile at her words.

Kyl0R3n: What game are you playing?

There was a lapse of time that seemed to go on forever as Ben awaited a reply.

Scavenger92: Season 5 of Sex And The City

He gave a ‘hmph’ of a laugh.

Kyl0R3n: Haven’t played that one.

Scavenger92: You should. The game play is amazing. Not to mention the graphics are on point.

He smirked. Even through messaging she was sassy. He could almost imagine the soft crease that folded in her cheek when she smiled as he re-read her message.

Another notification.

Scavenger92: I downloaded Fortnite to my Switch.

Kyl0R3n: XBox offers cross-play with that you know.

Scavenger92: I know. It’s part of my job know those things.

Kyl0R3n: Well, aren’t you special?

Yes. Yes she was.

Scavenger92: Glad you noticed. ;)

A winking face?

He practically shivered with excitement. His thumb worked the joystick so fast writing his next message he was sure it would snap off.

Kyl0R3n: Do you have a headset?

\- - - - - - - - -

Does she have a headset? Did she have a headset? Oh God, this meant he wanted to talk with her!

Rey practically flew off the couch and dove towards the entertainment center. She yanked the drawer open, sweeping aside several old batteries, Wii remotes and attachments. Her hand curled around the black band of an old Turtle Beach headset. She breathed a sigh of relief. She still had it. Todd had picked it up for her at a flea market back when they first started dating. Was it bad that she was going to use it now to talk to Ben?

Her tongue between her teeth in concentration, she jammed the plug into the controller and fidgeted with sizing the headband. The foam cushion of the headset felt odd over her ears as it blocked out the low hum of the console. Scrambling back to the couch, she swapped the menu from ‘Message’ to ‘Chat’.

“Can you hear me?” She spoke into the plastic microphone that extended from the left earpiece.

She blew a couple of times into the piece, hearing an echo of her breaths played back.

“Ben? Are you there?” She asked again.

Silence.

She frowned. Perhaps the headset was broken? She reached a hand up to remove the headset to inspect it when the magical sound of his deep voice cut through the other end.

“I’m here.”

Those two words sent shivers down her spine. The good kind. Rey sighed, closing her eyes as she leaned back against the couch. Hearing his voice again was magical. She internally praised her ex for purchasing the headset.

“You’re lucky my ex bought me a headset back when we were dating.” She said to him.

“What kind of headset is it?” He asked.

“Turtle Beach?”

“Ugh. No wonder he’s your ex.”

“That’s not why we broke up. What’s wrong with Turtle Beach?”

“No one buys Turtle Beach anymore.”

“Are they that bad?”

“No. There are just better options now.”

She mulled over what he said. There are better options now. Better headset options? Or better boyfriend options? She shook her head. She was getting carried away by her thoughts again.

“Well, what kind do you have?” She asked.

“I’ve got a set of Razers.”

“Oh.”

She was not familiar with that brand.

“They’re pricey, but they’re worth it.”

‘Like yourself?’ Rey wondered.

“So what are you up to this weekend?”

His question took her by surprise.

“Not much. Just got finished running some errands.”

“I need to do that too. And clean my apartment.”

“Oh really? I wouldn’t have pegged you for a slob.” She teased.

“Maybe if I had a girlfriend, my place wouldn’t be such a mess.”

Rey bit her lip. He just admitted to her he was single. Did he do that on purpose? Did this confirm his reasoning for asking for her gamer tag was potentially for more than just online play?

This revelation just brought up more questions. Why didn’t he have a girlfriend? He was tall with striking good looks and gorgeous hair to boot. A man like that doesn’t stay off the market for long. Whomever was with him would sure be one lucky girl. She could be that lucky girl. Having those massive hands of his holding her body tight to his, arm muscles rippling. She bet his abs were amazing. She would run her tongue down his shredded body, trailing ever so closer to his--

“Rey?”

She jolted from her thoughts at her name being called in her ear.

“Sorry. Just lost in thought.” She replied, grateful he could not see her flush from embarrassment and impure thoughts. She collected herself.

“So you make your girlfriends clean your apartment? No wonder you’re single.”

“Ha ha.” Ben replied sarcastically. “I just don’t have a reason to clean. No one ever comes over. I tend to keep to myself a lot.”

“What about your friend? The red haired one with the funny name.”

“Hux?”

“Yes, him.”

“We usually hang outside of work or at his place. He’s the social one, not me.”

“I stay home a lot as well.”

“What about all your co-workers? You certainly looked chummy at the bar.”

“They’re nice, but I don’t interact with the people from the home office very much - being in field sales and all. They all have offices and cubicles. I don’t.”

“I see…”

“What about you? You never told me what you do.”

“Trying to steal Microsoft secrets now, are we?”

“As if Microsoft has any secrets worth knowing.”

“Ouch.”

She lightly giggled over their banter.

“If I told you, you’d probably laugh.”

“I promise I won’t laugh.”

“I’minmarketingdesign.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me.”

“No, really. I couldn’t hear you. Crappy Turtle Beach headset, remember?”

She could hear Ben audibly sigh into her ear. She bit her bottom lip as she imagined if he had been here, how his warm breath would have tickled the side of her neck.

“Marketing design.”

“Why would I laugh at that?” She genuinely asked.

“I’ve been told I don’t look like a designer.”

“What exactly is a designer supposed to look like?”

“I don’t know.”

She could hear the agitation in his voice.

“I used to mess around with calligraphy in high school. I went to UCLA for graphic design. It sort of branched out from there.”

“So how does a designer end up at E3?”

“I could ask you the same thing - sales rep.”

“Touché.” Rey replied, fiddling with the cord of the headset.

“I approve a lot of the graphics they use for the conventions. Plus, I think they use me more for my size than anything else.”

“Oh yes. You’re very intimidating to college freshmen who live in their mothers basements.”

“For sure. I’m their worst fear.”

“Next to showering.”

Ben deeply laughed at this and Rey nearly fell off her couch she was so riddled with joy at the sound.

“One of the unflattering side affects of convention season.”

There was a brief lull of silence between them.

“Are you going to play anything today?” He finally asked.

“Hm. Maybe. Haven’t decided yet.”

“Perhaps some Fortnite? You got lucky last time. I demand a rematch.”

“Don’t you have an apartment to clean?”

“It can wait.”

Rey chewed her lip again.

“The Switch doesn’t have chat yet.”

“So download it on your XBox. And get a better headset.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“Promise?”

Rey felt a flush rise through her cheeks and an ache between her thighs.

“I promise.” She practically whispered into the headset.

“Well, if you ever feel like playing, just hit me up.”

“All right.” She replied. “I will.”

“Cool.”

“Bye Ben.”

“Bye Rey.”

\- - - - - - - - -

He was a traitor. A horrible, no good traitor.

He stood with his arms crossed tight against his chest as he frowned at the sight before him. What exactly was he doing here? What was it that made him get in his car and drive to the nearest Best Buy on a what should have been a productive Sunday afternoon?

Her. The answer was her.

He could have stopped himself. But no. He didn’t. Here he was, contemplating a very damning purchase.

“Can I help you with something?” A young male in a blue shirt cheerfully asked him, interrupting his thoughts.

“I’m fine.” He gruffly replied.

“Oookay. Well, my name is Brian. Just ask if you need anything.” Brian said before heading off in search of other customers.

Ben went back to glaring at the rows of red emblazoned shelving before him. Colorful games were neatly packaged in clear, protective cases. The spider-wrapped consoles practically screamed at him: ‘Buy me! Buy me!’. Why did they have to come with neon controllers? They looked so tiny. His giant hands would surely crush the buttons. THIS thing was popular?

“Mom! Mom! Look!” A child yelled, whipping past him and up to the Nintendo Switch display. The boy grabbed for the controllers dangling from the display, quickly booting up a demo for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

“Wow! Mom! Come look! I want this for my birthday!” He said to his mother.

“Eric, you already have an XBox at home.” The boys mother said to him. Eric scoffed.

“But Mooooom. You can’t play Mario on the XBox. Besides, you can take this in the car. I can’t take my XBox in the car.”

“Hmmm.” The mother said, peering over at the consoles Ben was standing in front of. Not just any kind of ‘hmmm’ - the kind that insinuated her mind was already made up. That Eric certainly would get a Nintendo Switch for his birthday.

“Can I help you guys with anything?” Brian asked Eric and his mother.

“Just looking for now, thanks.” The mom replied.

“Still doing okay?” Brian asked him.

Ben’s shoulders heaved in defeat.

“Is this the only color you have?” Ben asked, nodding towards the consoles.

“It also comes in gray.”

Ben made a face.

“You know, they do make a Pro Controller better suited for more competitive gaming.” Brian pointed out to him.

“Are there any good games for it?”

“Tons!” Brian replied happily. “There’s Splatoon, Mario Kart, Super Mario Odyssey. Oh, and The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. It won Game of the Year last year and this December, they’ve got Su-”

“Yeah, yeah. Super Smash Brothers. I’ve heard.” Ben interrupted. Brian beamed at this.

“Oh man, I’m so excited to play that game.” Brian shared.

“Super.” Ben replied unenthusiastically.

“So… Do you want me to grab you one of the gray consoles out of the back?” Brian asked hopefully.

Ben glanced back down at the consoles.

“Aw, yeah! First place!” Eric celebrated as he finished the Mario Kart demo. 

Ben peeked over at the boy. The smile on his face went from ear to ear. Ben’s thoughts traveled to Rey and her megawatt smile. The joy she must feel when she sees how much people love her company and their products. Imagining her smile was enough to push him over the edge.

“Yeah. I’ll take a gray one.”

“Excellent!” Brian said. “Any games to go with it?”

“Get me that Zelda game. And that controller you mentioned.”

“Right away. I’ll check you out over here.”

As Ben slid his credit card and was handed his traitorous blue bag of Nintendo products, he couldn’t help think about how much money he was spending just to get closer to her. It was pricey, but she was worth it.


	4. Game On

Comic Con was finally here. 

It was a few hours before the doors to the demo hall were set to open. Official looking crew members were wheeling in several last minute pieces in need of set up inside the San Diego convention center. The front of the building was already swarming with attendees. Colorful and elaborate costumes were on display. A group of press junkies were already working the long lines, snapping picture after picture for various social media outlets.

While this was the beginning of a busy, yet entertaining weekend, Ben was feeling less enthused. His mother had already called him twice. Once last night and once this morning. At seven in the fucking morning. He had ignored both calls. He knew what she wanted. He was back in his hometown, his birthplace. Which meant someone wanted to play ‘happy family’.

Ben leaned against the back wall of the convention center as he lit into this mornings second cigarette. He watched as the group of workmen in black shirts unloaded a stack of loud speakers from a rental truck. The speakers were placed on a dolly and pushed inside, all while under the watchful eye of the beefed up security detail placed at the back entrances meant for staff only.

Ben took another drag on the cigarette, flicking the ash to the side. His phone buzzed and he slid it out of his pocket. It was Hux texting him, curious of his whereabouts. He stuffed the phone back in his pocket. Hux would find him later. He blew a thin stream of smoke from his mouth, scuffing his shoe against the ground in boredom.

Being here also meant three whole days without access to his XBox. A trivial problem, really. But without the console, he had no other way to communicate with Rey. The last time they chatted online was over a week ago when she had popped online to download Jurassic World: Evolution. They had discussed the recent movie and the previous four in the series to great lengths, and that had been it. He divulged to her how Hux had cried when the last standing dinosaur on the island succumbed to the volcano. Hux of course denied it, saying he popcorn butter in his eye. Really? Who gets ‘popcorn butter’ in their eye?

Another quick drag on the cigarette followed by a puff of exhale. What he wouldn’t give to be able to tell her about how many Deadpool crossover cosplays he we see over the next few days. Those costumes were not only plentiful, but usually worth a laugh. And boy, did he love hearing her laugh. He could practically hear it in the distance, slowly getting louder.

“Girl - I don’t know about you but I just hope Jason Momoa swings by. He came by last year while I was in the bathroom and I swear to you I cried for three hours after I found out.”

More laughter.

Two girls rounded the corner, the smaller one nearly bumping into him.

“Ooops, sorry!” The girl said, steadying herself and her coffee cup in hand.

“Ben?!”

Ben’s eyes widened as he saw who accompanied the tiny girl who had nearly tripped over him.

“Oh fuck.” He said, tossing the cigarette to the side. “Rey!”

He quickly wiped at his mouth as if that would immediately rid of the smell.

“Hi!” She said, beaming at him.

“Wh…Wh.. What are you doing here?” He stuttered.

“Working.” She said, shrugging a shoulder as she continued to smile at him. A bright yellow lanyard hung around her neck with a ‘STAFF’ badge attached. Like her friend, she also carried a coffee in hand.

“I didn’t know you were working Comic Con.” He said, shaking his head lightly.

“You never asked.” She replied sweetly with a hint of sass.

“See you inside!” The other girl said to him, giving a bit of a wave. She looped her free hand around Rey’s elbow, pulling her inside - hushed whispers and giggles following them as they walked past the security guard.

Ben wiped at his mouth again and moved to follow them inside. The security guard put out an arm as a means to halt him.

“You gon’ pick that up?” The man gruffly asked, nodding to the hastily discard cigarette butt on the ground.

Ben grumbled, picking up the litter and jamming it into the designated smoking receptacle. With nothing more than a stern look, the security guard allowed him back inside the building. He weaved through the halls, dreading the crowds that would soon occupy the area. He approached the Nintendo area, nestled exactly to the right of the Fortnite booth. A large banner with words spelling out ‘Pokemon’ hung overhead.

Rey and the girl from before were animatedly talking with some of the set up crew. Her friend pointed to several large displays, directing with her hands where they should be moved to. The crew went to move the pieces around as Ben reached them. Rey’s friend elbowed her, a grin plastered on her rounded face. Rey whirled around.

“I didn’t think to ask.” He blurted out to Rey. He could see a hint of pink rise in her cheeks.

“It’s okay. I didn’t think to mention it either.” She said, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. She wore a tan shirt with what he could only describe as a derpy looking fox on the front with the Pokemon logo below it.

“We haven’t been introduced. I’m Rose.” The girl next Rey said, shoving a hand out towards him. Rose wore a yellow shirt with another strange creature on it, this one resembled a rabbit with black tipped ears and red circles on its face.

“Ben.” Ben introduced, quickly shaking Rose’s petite hand.

“Oh. I know.” Rose said, grinning. Ben frowned momentarily.

“Rey - I’ll be over here un-boxing the hats, okay?” Rose said to Rey.

“Okay.” Rey said, giving her friend a smile before she walked off.

“I’m glad I get to see you again.” He admitted quickly. Rey ducked her chin to her chest and tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear. Her hair was mostly down this time with half a ponytail in the back.

“Me too.” She answered softly before raising her head to look up at him again.

“Are you just here for the day?”

She shook her head.

“No, I’ve got three days. You?”

“Same. Three days.”

“Fortnite again?” Rey asked, peering over at the booth behind him.

“Yes.” Ben said.

“Are you guys staying at the Hard Rock as well?” He asked, gesturing over his shoulder in the direction of the hotel directly across the street from the convention center.

“No. At the Hilton near the marina.” She said, gesturing in the opposite direction.

“Ah. Well, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

“Oh?” She said, her head tilting to the side. She bit her bottom lip.

“Yeah.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I bought -”

“THERE you are!”

What could only be described as a bright neon mess stormed over to him.

“When I told them I wanted a different Comic Con booth - this isn’t exactly what I had in mind!” Hux loudly complained to Ben.

He was dressed in a fluorescent pink t-shirt with the Overwatch bunny logo in the middle with a matching hat that clashed horribly with his ginger hair. Ben stifled his laughter. Rey however was not so fortunate to muffle hers. Hux glared daggers at her.

“Do I know you?” Hux asked her nastily.

“I’m Rey. We met at Coin-Op in Los Angeles. After E3?” Rey replied, attempting to trigger the memory for him. It must have worked. His eyes grew wide.

“Would you excuse us for a moment?” Hux sneered to her. Rey gave a shrug, turning and quickly heading back over to Rose. Rose joyfully handed her a headband of brown ears that matched the creature on her shirt. Rose placed a pair of yellow ones on her own head and the girls quickly went for their phones to snap a few selfies.

“What are you doing talking to that Nintendo trash?” Hux hissed to him.

“I thought you liked her. You shook her hand when you met at Coin-Op.” Ben explained.

Hux instinctively wiped his hand against his pant leg as if Rey’s ‘cooties’ still lingered there from three weeks ago.

“She’s nice.” Ben said quietly.

“Nice?” Hux scoffed. “All those Nintendo people are the same. They act like they’re so nice to your face but then they stab you in the back.”

Ben frowned.

“Have you seen Gwen yet?” Ben asked, attempting to change the subject.

“No.” Hux replied grumpily. “She’s probably getting coffee. She lives off that stuff. Did you see the line for the Starbucks? It’s probably just as long as the line for Hall H.”

Ben nodded in agreement. Hall H was where all the biggest stars had their Q and A panels.

“Oh great. Just great.” Hux said suddenly, tightly crossing his arms grumpily.

“What?” Ben asked.

“Princess Peach over there just eye fucked the shit out of you.” Hux snapped. Ben perked up.

“Really?”

“Don’t LOOK!” Hux whined as Ben turned his head to glance over his shoulder.

Their eyes met and Rey quickly looked away, a red heat rising in her face. A smirk pulled at his lips.

“How do you know who Princess Peach is? I thought you hated everything Nintendo.” Ben asked Hux as he turned back to him.

“I know enough.” Hux snapped in reply.

“What are you wearing? You look like a pink nightmare!” Said a voice behind Hux.

Gwen had arrived with - as Hux predicted - a large Starbucks in hand. Hux’s face went as red as his hair. He turned the attention back to Rey.

“What is she supposed to be anyways? Some sort of weird Playboy bunny?”

“I think it’s a Pokemon.” Ben said, briefly pointing to the banner overhead. Hux snorted.

“Pokemon. Ugh. Figures.”

“Oh I love Pokemon! I have it on my phone.” Gwen said, holding up her phone, showing them the Pokemon Go app.

“See Hux? Even Gwen likes Pokemon. Lighten up, will you?”

“At least I don’t have to work next to those idiots this year.” Hux said, crossing his arms again and glaring the direction of the Nintendo booth.

“All right pinky.” Ben snarkily replied to Hux. Hux briefly glared at him before retreating back to the Overwatch booth.

\- - - - - - - - -

He was here! He was here!!!

Rey was bursting internally with excitement seeing Ben here in San Diego. Next to E3, Comic Con was the second largest convention she would work this summer. She felt like such a fool for not asking him if he was working Comic Con. Apparently Ben also was embarrassed he had failed to inquire if she would be working any other demos.

Today they were promoting the upcoming game ‘Pokemon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Eevee’. Tomorrow they would swap spots with Finn and Poe and man the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate booth instead.Rose handed her a pair of Eevee ears to match her t-shirt. Rose had a pair of Pikachu ears to match her own shirt. They quickly posed for a few selfies.

“Did you know he was going to be here?” Rose asked Rey as they posted the pictures on their respective Facebook pages.

“No.” She said shaking her head.

“So you HAVE been talking to him! You sly dog.” Rose teased, nudging her.

“A little.” She admitted.

“You’ve got his phone number?”

“No. We talk through chat on my XBox.” She explained, shaking her head.

“If you don’t get his phone number by the end of the weekend, I will just have to get it for you then.” Rose declared haughtily.

“You wouldn’t!” Rey exclaimed.

“Don’t tempt me!” Rose said, grinning at her. She turned and headed off to lay out the paper hats she had unboxed earlier.

Rey glanced over at Ben and Hux. Hux’s face was red and he almost seemed to be low key berating him. She let her eyes gaze over his form. His arms were crossed tight across his chest as he listened to his friend. He wore a black shirt with the Comic Con logo. The shirt was paired with a black denim jeans that hugged in all the right places on what she imagined was a behind just as toned as his arms. The man really liked black. But damn, did he look fine in it.

She felt eyes on her and her gaze snapped up, locking with his intense stare. She could feel her face flush with embarrassment of being caught ogling him. She hurriedly looked away to see what Rose was up to as a means of distraction.

Once the convention opened she was too busy to even peek over at Ben’s booth. Both kids and adults queued through their booth getting their chance to play the game. Little kids chose either the paper Pikachu or Eevee hats to wear as they played the demo, the hats sometimes adorably clashing with their costumes that they had worn that day.

A few hours later, Kay came from her live stream with Snap to help work the booth so Rose and Rey could take a break. Rey knew just how she wanted to spend hers. She scooted past the long, winding line of Pokemon fans and over to the Fortnite booth.

Ben was overseeing two boys that had come from the Pokemon booth playing their games, their paper hats still perched on their heads as they played. She took a deep breath before reaching up to tap Ben on his shoulder.

His eyes furrowed as he turned around, his face instantly changing when he saw it was her.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey. I’m on break. This is insane!” She said smiling.

“Welcome to Comic Con.” He lightly laughed. “Did you see the -”

“- Deadpool as Sexy Pikachu? Yes. Unfortunately yes.” She answered laughing, finishing his question for him. He smiled at her.

“People really like to dress up for this. I feel underdressed.” She said.

“I think you fit in just fine.” He said, glancing at her Eevee ears. She reached up a hand and ran a finger down the soft faux fur of the headband.

“Thanks.” She mumbled.

Two girls walked past in very provocative Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn cosplays. They gave Ben an intriguing glance and waved at him. The Poison Ivy girl even blew a kiss his way. Ben made a face after they had passed.

“Not a DC fan I take it?” Rey teased.

“It’s not that.” Ben said, shaking his head.

“Shouldn’t you be used to all those California girls throwing themselves at you by now?”

“California girls?” He asked.

“You know. Like in the Katy Perry song. Short skirts with bikinis on top. Beach babes.”

“Beach isn’t exactly my type.” He answered.

“Washington has beaches.” Rey murmured.

Ben was quiet for a moment, clearing his throat before responding.

“Let’s just say the beach girls down here aren’t my type.”

“Ben, are you on break?” Interrupted a feminine voice. A woman nearly as tall as Ben came over, snapping bubblegum as she walked.

“Uh….Not yet.” Ben replied. 

“Hi! I’m Rey.” Rey said, breaking the ice and reaching out a hand to the woman.

“Gwen.” Gwen said as she shook Rey’s hand. Gwen turned to Ben.

“Ben, just take your break already. I can handle these ragamuffins.” Gwen gestured to the kids still playing the demo console.

“All right. Thanks.” He said to her. He looked down at Rey.

“I know the best food trucks around here. You game?” He asked.

“I’m game.” She replied.

\- - - - - - - - -

The line for the Fortnite demo had filled quickly. As the hours passed he wondered how Hux was doing off on the other side of the center at the Overwatch booth. Fortnite was beginning to give Overwatch a run for its money, especially in the popularity department. He barely had time to glance over at the Pokemon booth at Rey, but her presence was still very much here with him.

Every person that entered the booth wearing either the yellow rabbit or brown fox hats reminded him that she was just a few feet away. Every hat reminded him how lucky he was that he had been given a chance to see her again. Every hat reminded him of her brilliant hazel eyes and dazzling smile.

Someone tapped his shoulder for attention. If it was another complaint about line cuts he was going to demand Gwen swap him places. He looked down, eyes widening when he realized it was HER.

Hey.” He said to her.

“Hey. I’m on break. This is insane!”

He huffed a soft laugh.

“Welcome to Comic Con. Did you see the -”

“- Deadpool as Sexy Pikachu? Yes. Unfortunately yes.” She answered with a laugh, knowing exactly what he had been about to say.

His lips pulled into a smile, internally thrilled they had enough of a connection for this to have occurred.

“People really like to dress up for this. I feel underdressed.”

“I think you fit in just fine.” He said, taking a moment to study her. Even in the silly ears she was just as pretty as the day he had met her.

“Thanks.” She mumbled.

Their attention was distracted by two girls walking past in suggestive Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn costumes. They gave him a look over before waving. Poison Ivy blew a kiss his way. After they turned away, his face scrunched up.

“Not a DC fan I take it?”

“It’s not that.” He said, shaking his head.

“Shouldn’t you be used to all those California girls throwing themselves at you by now?”

“California girls?”

“You know. Like in the Katy Perry song. Short skirts with bikinis on top. Beach babes.”

“Beach isn’t exactly my type.”

“Washington has beaches.” He heard her mutter.

Soon his mind was filled with a vision of Rey in a pair of cut off denim shorts wearing a blue polka dotted bikini top. The kind with the strings that tied around the neck and back that left little to the imagination. He imagined her with a dusting of freckles on her shoulders, cheeks a bit pink from the sun.

In his vision she smiled and laughed as she splashed around in the rocky shores of a Washington beach. His body reacted to this vision and he nervously cleared his throat, feeling an impending need of a cold shower.

“Let’s just say the beach girls down here aren’t my type.” He answered quickly.

“Ben, are you on break?” Gwen interrupted. She walked over to him.

“Uh….Not yet.” was his guilty reply.

“Hi! I’m Rey.” Rey said as she offered her hand to Gwen.

“Gwen.” She said before turning to him.

“Ben, just take your break already. I can handle these ragamuffins.” 

“All right. Thanks.” He said to Gwen before turning to Rey.

“I know the best food trucks around here. You game?” He asked.

“I’m game.” She replied.

Game on.

\- - - - - - - - -

Outside there were several food trucks lined up in the plaza outside the convention center. The lines were busy but no where near as long as the lines inside.

Ben led Rey over to a red truck with a pig emblem on the side. The words ‘Swig & Swine’ were stamped underneath the logo. A chalkboard leaned against the truck with the list of menu items and prices.

“This is a really popular local food truck. They’ve been here every year I’ve worked the convention. Their pork macaroni and cheese is the best around.” Ben said to her.

“That sounds delicious.” Rey replied.

They filed into line for the truck. Not long after they had taken their place in line, the phone in Ben’s back pocket vibrated. He slid the phone out of his pocket and placed it back almost as soon as he had taken it out.

“Which convention do you like better? Comic Con or E3?” He asked her while they waited in line.

“I think it’s a little too early to tell.” Rey replied. “Maybe I’ll have an answer once this weekend is over.”

“Do you like working the Pokemon booth better than the Smash booth?”

“Definitely Pokemon.” Rey quickly replied. “That’s the first video game I ever played. My Uncle got me a GameBoy color and a copy of Pokemon Blue version right before we moved to Washington. Granted he only got it as a means to get me to shut up and leave him alone on the plane ride over here, but still…”

“He sounds like a stand up guy.” Ben replied, not afraid to show the sarcasm in his voice.

Rey lightly hung his head.

“Things got better once I moved out.” She said while shrugging.

“So…. What’s the name of the derp fox on your shirt?” Ben asked, nodding down at her. Rey giggled.

“It’s name is Eevee. Not derp fox.” She laughed.

“Is that your favorite?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t really have a favorite. Too many of them.”

“You should probably talk to Gwen about them. She’s got that Pokemon app on her phone.”

“I will!” Rey said, smiling up at him.

It was their turn at the pay window.

“Hey Ben! Nice to see you again!” Said the blonde man inside the truck to Ben.

“Hey Kyle. Can I get two orders of the pork and mac and two waters please?”

“Coming right up. You talk to your mother recently?”

“Just get me the food Kyle.” Ben grumbled. Two Styrofoam bowls of macaroni and cheese mixed together with delectable glazed and seasoned pork were passed out the window to Ben.

“Grab the waters?” Ben asked Rey.

It clicked Ben had bought her lunch.

“Oh Ben, you didn’t have to do that. I get reimbursed for my lunch. I could have gotten my own.” Rey hastily said.

“I get reimbursed too. Microsoft doesn’t need to know.”

Rey grabbed the waters and followed Ben as he walked away from the truck. He made a beeline for an open space on the concrete wall of the convention center to sit on.

“Really Ben. You didn’t have to do that.” Rey said as she sat down next to him.

“Think of it as an apology.” He said as he held out one of the bowls to her.

“An apology? For what?”

“For forgetting to ask if you would be here.”

Rey could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

“Thanks.” She muttered into the bowl of food. It smelled delicious and it tasted as good as it looked.

“You were right.” Rey mumbled around a mouthful of food. “This is really good.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Once they had finished their food they walked back to their booths.

“Thanks again for lunch.” She said to him.

“Don’t mention it. My pleasure.” He replied.

“Wasn’t there something you were wanting to tell me?” Rey asked him as they reached the Pokemon booth. Rey could see Rose waving at her frantically.

“Oh. Um. Uh…” Ben said, his eyes darting over to Gwen, who had her eyes trained on him. He couldn’t tell her about the Switch. Not now with Gwen watching.

“Uh. So I don’t forget to ask again, are you working any other conventions this summer?”

Rey smiled.

“As a matter of fact I am.”

“Oh really? Such as…?”

“There’s a video game championship event in two weeks in Vegas. Evo? I’ll be working that.”

“Vegas huh?” Ben said, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Yup.”

“You know what they say about Vegas, right?” He cheekily asked.

“Don’t bet anything that you’re not willing to lose?” Rey tried.

“No. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

Rey smiled slyly at him.

“Oh I don’t believe that.” She said. “What happens in Vegas most definitely does NOT stay in Vegas.”

“Really? We’ll see.” Ben replied.


	5. Level Up

It was day two of Comic Con. Ben hardly had time to wave goodbye to Rey as the first day of the convention closed down for the night. Hux had come over to whisk him away almost immediately. While Hux denied it was on purpose as they headed into the Gaslamp district for food and drinks, Ben still had his suspicions.

In the morning, Ben paced back and forth inside the demo hall. He was itching to go take a smoke break but didn’t want to risk getting caught smoking by Rey again. Sure, she hadn’t mentioned anything yesterday, but knowing that she had seen him partaking in the nasty habit embarrassed him more than he’d willingly admit. He didn’t want her thinking any less of him because of it.

Gone were the days when he felt like he barely knew her. They were no longer strangers at this point and he dared to hope she considered them friends. He certainly did. He only had two more days at Comic Con with her and he was determined to make the most of them. There was no way in hell he was going to let Hux weasel him into another night away from her.

He was fiddling with the staff lanyard around his neck when he heard a familiar echo of excited voices approaching the other side of the booth.

Rose and Rey were accompanied by the two males he recognized from the bar back in Los Angeles. The tan male had an arm draped around Rey’s shoulder while Rose was practically clinging to the arm of his dark skinned companion.

“Hi Ben!” Rose said to Ben, waving a hand.

“Hey.” Ben said to Rose, his eyes quickly flitting over to Rey.

He did not like this guy with his arm around Rey. He could feel his muscles tighten and shoulders flex, the sight making him tense up. To his delight, Rey shrugged the males arm off her shoulders and approached him.

“Morning!” She said to him cheerfully.

“Good morning.” He replied.

“Ben, this is Poe. And this is Finn. They’re working the Pokemon booth today.” Rey said to Ben as she motioned at the men behind her.

Ben felt his heart become heavy. 

“You’re not working the Pokemon booth today? Where are you going?” He asked her.

“Over to the Smash booth. We’re swapping places today.”

“Hey I’m Poe.” Poe said, reaching the hand of the arm that had been around Rey out to him. Ben shook it firmly, making sure Poe knew how strong he was. Poe flexed his hand after Ben released it. Yeah, that’s right. That ought to have hurt, buddy.

“Finn.” Finn said, also holding out his hand. Ben was less harsh with Finn’s handshake.

Rose launched into an explanation of how she and Rey had gone about running the Pokemon booth the previous day to Poe and Finn.

“You left in a rush yesterday.” Rey said to him, playing with the zipper on her black and white Smash Brothers pullover she wore.

“Sorry about that. Hux was really determined to go out for drinks yesterday.” Ben apologized.

His pocket buzzed again and he hastily checked it. He sighed, annoyed. He slipped the phone back in his pocket and ran an agitated hand through his hair.

“I thought you didn’t have a girlfriend.” Rey said, almost sounding hurt.

“I don’t.” Ben said, shaking his head.

“Then who keeps calling you? You’re ignoring someone.”

“It’s a long story.”

“Maybe you can tell it to me sometime.” Rey said with a small shrug.

Before Ben could respond, Rey took a step back from him. The answer why opened his loud mouth not half a second later.

“Ben, what are you doing?” Hux asked as he approached with Gwen at his side.

“Nice to see you again.” Gwen said to Rey. Rey smiled at her. Hux grimaced.

“I see you got out of wearing that hideous pink shirt today.” Ben commented to Hux.

Hux looked down at his shirt, this one was baby blue bearing an emblem with wings and halo.

“I’m not sure which one is worse.” He grumbled.

“Hey Rey. Rose said you guys should head stop over at the Live Stream on your way to the booth.” Finn said as he came over to her, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.

“Cool.” Rey said to him with a nod.

“Oh hey. I’m Finn.” Finn said to Gwen and Hux, holding out a hand. Gwen politely shook his hand while Hux busied himself with adjusting the band of his Overwatch hat to avoid the gesture.

“Come on Finn, let’s get this show on the road.” Poe said, trotting over to the ever growing huddle of Microsoft and Nintendo employees.

“Hey! I know you!” Poe suddenly said, pointing a finger at Hux.

“No you don’t.” Hux said, vehemently shaking his head at Poe.

“Yeah I do!” Poe said, snapping his fingers as he recalled “You were in a group interview with me for Nintendo. I’d recognize that hair anywhere. Uh…. Hugs, isn’t it?”

“It’s HUX.” Hux spat.

“Aw, sorry man. My bad.” Poe said.

Hux was now the same shade of red as his hair.

“Hey, we’re all going to grab pizza in Little Italy tonight after the convention. You guys should come.” Poe said, propping an elbow on Rey’s shoulder.

“That sounds fun. Doesn’t that sound like a great idea Hugs?” Ben asked Hux, a grin plastered to his face. Hux was fuming and refused to answer.

“Fine with me.” Gwen replied.

“Cool!” Poe said. He slapped Finn lightly on the shoulder and they turned around, walking back to their booth.

“They’re really nice. You’ll have fun.” Rey said to Ben, encouragingly.

“Can’t wait.” Ben said, giving her a smile. She beamed at him as Rose came over to retrieve her. She gave a tiny wave and he nodded in response before turning back to his co-workers.

“No wonder you don’t like Nintendo.” Ben said to Hux after the girls were out of earshot.

“You shut up!” Hux snapped at Ben “I deserved that job! Not that fool over there” He nodded his chin in Poe’s direction.

“Well you’re free to hang out with them now that your secret is out.” Ben offered.

“I’m not going!” Hux declared, crossing his arms.

“Come on Hugs. I thought you liked Italians.” Ben pinched his fingers and thumb together and shook his hand at him like an angry Italian grandmother.

“Stop it!” Hux demanded.

“Yeah Hugs. We can get mushrooms on the pizza! We know how much you like mushrooms!” Gwen jested.

Hux growled in anger before turning on his heel and storming away.

“Don’t be such a Mario party pooper!” Gwen yelled after him. Hux flipped them off as he continued to retreat.

Gwen and Ben laughed amongst themselves for a moment, distracted only when Poe and Finn began yelling at each other.

“No, I get the Pikachu ears!” Poe was saying to Finn, yanking the yellow headband out of Finn’s grasp.

“Nuh uh! I get them! Rose already told me I could wear them.” Finn complained, reaching for the ears that Poe dangled just out of his reach.

“Pffft. Please.” Poe said, rolling his eyes. “I’m the one with seniority here. And I say I get to wear the Pikachu ears. Besides-” Poe shoved the Eevee ears at Finn. “I’m more of a Pikachu guy anyways. You’re totally an Eevee.”

“I don’t even like any of the Eevee evolutions though.” Finn frowned, jamming the brown furry ears atop his head in defeat.

Ben turned back to Gwen.

“Will you really go?” He asked.

“Hmmm?” She asked, looking up from her phone. 

“Tonight. With the others.” He said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Poe and Finn.

Gwen shrugged.

“Why not? I like pizza. And I don’t have a weird grudge against Nintendo.”

“You think Hux will go too?”

Gwen pursed her lips in thought.

“If I’m going, yes.”

Ben nearly snorted.

“I take it you’ve figured out he’s crazy for you.”

“Ha!” Gwen laughed. “How could I not? He isn’t exactly subtle about it.”

“That he isn’t…” Ben mumbled in reply.

“Perhaps I ought to let him bang me.” Gwen said, glancing back down at her phone.

Ben nearly choked from her response.

“You know, just let him get me out of his system.” She said.

“Uh huh. Sure.” Ben replied, not believing her one bit.

“What about you?” Gwen asked.

“Hmmm? Me?” Ben asked.

“Yeah you. Can you survive your shift knowing you won’t be able to make goo-goo eyes at your lady friend?”

“I don’t make goo-goo eyes at her.”

“That’s right. You give her bedroom eyes. And that’s even worse.”

Ben frowned.

“I know you like her. I told you that on day one.”

“You also told me to forget about her.”

“It’s clear you didn’t take my advice. So, you going to ask for her number this time?”

Ben’s hand skimmed across his back pocket, feeling for his phone at the thought of obtaining Rey’s phone number.

“I’ve thought about it.” He admitted. Truthfully he had thought about it ever since he asked her for gamer tag instead, but Gwen didn’t need to know that.

“If you want to make this into some sort of long distance thing, you’ve got to do this right.”

“I know that.” Snapped Ben.

“All right lover boy.” Gwen said, putting her hands up defensively before wandering off to set up her work station.

\- - - - - - - - -

The Smash booth was definitely busier than the Pokemon booth. Rey felt rushed on her break so she opted to run to the concessions inside the convention center instead of the food trucks outside.

She hoped Ben wouldn’t change his mind about Poe’s invite to join them for pizza tonight. Hux didn’t seem happy about it, though perhaps he was too upset about Poe recognizing him from a failed job interview. No wonder the red head wasn’t a fan of Nintendo.

Rey gave a friendly nod to the final groups of the day. Harry Potter high fived Marty McFly as they exited the booth. Their companion, a Peter Quill cosplayer with a ‘Starlord Is Innocent’ sign hanging around his neck gave her a sheepish grin and she felt a heat rise in her cheeks.

“PHEW!” Rose said, dramatically leaning against Rey. She raised a hand to her forehead as if she was about to have a fainting spell. “I. Am. BUSHED.”

“How Finn and Poe managed this on the first day of the convention, I have no idea.” Rey laughed as she shook her head.

The crew began to unlplug and prep the console stations to be locked up for the night. Rose and Rey gathered their things from a black supply crate before heading to meet up with the others at the Pokemon booth.

“Hey Rey! Hey Rose!” Poe waved to them as he saw them approaching. Rey laughed at the sight of Poe in his Pikachu ears.

“How was the Smash booth?” He asked.

“Busy! I don’t know how you guys handled it yesterday.”

“You saw how much we drank last night!” Was Finn’s reply. “You girls had it easy. Pokemon fans aren’t half as crazy as the Smash crowd.”

“Finn and I wouldn’t mind staying over here again tomorrow!” Poe said, waggling his eyebrows at her. Rey issued him a smirk.

“Not a chance!” She declared.

Poe feigned being angry. Rose was reaching up and toying with Finn’s Eevee ears.

“Are you going to wear these to dinner?” She teased.

“These? No!” Finn said, scrambling to removed the headband. 

“Aw come on! They looked good on you!” Poe said, gesturing a hand at him.

“Have fun?” a deep voice inquired from behind her. Rey quickly turned around.

Amid their laughter, Rey didn’t notice that Ben and Gwen had walked over.

“I’m definitely looking forward to being back over here tomorrow.” She told Ben.

“Me too.”

Rey felt herself blushing again and she briefly looked down.

“Was your booth really busy?”

“Extremely!”

“So busy!” Rose interrupted, draping herself over Rey. “You should have seen the looks she was getting. I’m surprised she didn’t walk away with at least five phone numbers today.”

“Rose!” Rey squealed, embarrassed.

“Have you given her YOUR phone number yet Ben?” Rose pried, an evil grin on her face.

“Oh my God…” Rey said, covering her reddening face with her hands.

“Just waiting my turn.” Was Ben’s cheeky reply. Rose beamed at this, giving Rey’s shoulders a squeeze. Rose let go of her shoulders, practically skipping back over to Finn and Poe.

Rey could not bring herself to look at Ben. Rose had said she would intervene in the retrieval of Ben’s phone number if she hadn’t obtained it by the end of the weekend, but it was not at all the end of the weekend. Curse that tiny matchmaker!

Ben cleared his throat deeply, cracking the awkward silence that hung between them.

“Sorry about that.” Rey mumbled to him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she scuffed her Nintendo VANs against the ground.

“It’s all right.” Ben told her. “I ought to give you my number anyways.”

“Oh?” She asked, raising her head.

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know which pizza place we’re going to tonight. Might get lost.”

“Oh.” Rey repeated, this time less enthused.

He must have noticed the change in her tone.

“Not that I wouldn’t have given you my number eventually. I mean, if you wanted it… that is.”

A smile itched at the corners of her lips.

“Yeah. I’d like that.” She said. Ben smirked, his cheek creasing to her delight.

Rey fumbled with her back pocket, bringing out her phone. She entered the pass code before handing it out to Ben. The Galaxy 8 was practically dwarfed in his large hands.

Ben’s large thumbs swiped across her phone as he entered his number into a new contacts. He handed the phone back to her, their fingers brushing as he did so. Rey nearly dropped her phone.

“Now you can call me so I can have your number.” He said. Rey hastily nodded in response. She clutched her phone for dear life as she initiated a call to his number. 

The ringtone of ‘Paint It Black’ performed via player piano began to play on Ben’s phone as he received her call.

“Westworld?” Rey asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“You’ve seen it?” Ben asked, his tone hopeful.

“I love it.” She said, grinning.

“Hux hates it.”

“He hates a lot of stuff it seems.”

Ben chuckled softly as his fingers finalized her information into his contacts.

“He’s a good guy. Really.” Ben said shrugging as he pocketed his phone.

“Speak of the devil…” Rey said, trailing off as Hux sauntered up to them, hands crossed defiantly across his chest.

“Hello Ben.” Hux said stiffly.

“Hey there Ganondorf. Ready for some pizza?”

Hux glared at Ben. Rey was biting her lip, holding back her laughter.

“I will inform you right now that my decision to go tonight has nothing to do with your traitorous infatuations.”

“What?” Ben asked. Hux ignored him.

“As your friend, I can’t let you go off alone with strangers.”

“I’m almost thirty fucking years old!” Ben said to Hux, raising his voice lightly. “I don’t need a chaperone. We’re just going out for pizza.”

“Now now, Ben.” Gwen said, as she stepped over to Ben and Hux. She slid an arm around Hux’s shoulders. Hux went rigid and redness filled his face at her touch.

“Hux is just looking out for our well being. Isn’t that right?” She practically purred.

“Y-y-yes.” Hux said. He cleared his throat. “That’s right.” He nearly squeaked.

“Buy me a drink at the restaurant Hux?” Gwen asked him. Hux nodded like a bobble head in response. Gwen gave Ben and Rey a wink as she turned Hux away from them, leading him off to the side.

“She’s good.” Rey commented to Ben. He snorted.

“Hey!” Poe called over to her. “We doin’ this or what?”

One short Uber ride later, they arrived several minutes apart at a pizzeria in the Little Italy portion of Downtown San Diego. Snap and Kay were already waiting outside the restaurant for them.

“I’ve got our name down for a table for nine.” Snap said to Poe as they gathered on the sidewalk outside the establishment.

“You got that reservation under Daddy Beefcake?” Poe teased Snap.

Ben, Gwen, and Hux were hastily introduced to Snap and Kay. Rey was surprised that Hux shook Snap’s hand. Perhaps he was still in such a haze of euphoria over the attention Gwen was giving him.

Their party was shortly called and they filed inside to a sit at a long table. Rose went to sit across from Finn but Snap had already claimed that seat. Rose opted to sit opposite Kay, the look on her face full of disappointment. Gwen sat next to Rose, their height difference making Rose look even shorter than she was, even sitting down. 

Ben and Rey moved to reach for the same chair, clumsily bumping into each other.

“You go ahead.” Ben said, offering her the seat with his hand.

“Thanks.” Rey mumbled.

What happened next caused her to nearly pass out on the spot. Ben pulled the chair out for her with his left hand, his right barely touching the small of her back as he guided her into the seat. Rey hoped the dim light inside the restaurant was enough to mask the redness she could feel creeping across her face as Ben settled into the seat beside her.

Poe ordered two pitchers of beer for the table. Hux hurried and ordered two glasses of red wine.

“Jack and Coke please.” Rey told the server.

“Whiskey, neat.” Ben ordered next.

“You must not drink a lot if you’re ordering a Jack and Coke.” Ben commented to her. Rey sipped her water.

“Guilty.” She replied, setting down her glass. “Just never a big fan of it I guess.”

“Fair enough.” Ben replied.

Dinner was pretty uneventful. The Nintendo crowd did their best at including their new Microsoft companions into the discussion of some of the movie trailers shown at the convention while they had been working. Gwen did a good job of getting Hux buzzed enough for him to actually talk to some of the others at the table instead of being an unsocial grump the entire time. Ben indulged himself with several stolen glances at Rey, admiring how her face would light up like the sun whenever she was particularly excited about the topic at hand.

As the evening wore on, Rey found herself eager to get back to the hotel.

“I think I’m going to call it a night you guys.” She said to her friends.

“Booo!” Yelled Finn in response. Poe and Snap just laughed.

“Hang on, let me finish my drink and I’ll come with!” Rose said, reaching for her cocktail.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to rush. I can just walk back.” Rey said, shaking her head at her.

“I can walk you back. I’m finished.” Ben said, placing his cloth napkin down on the table.

“Are you sure?” Rey asked.

“I don’t mind. I like walking.”

‘And you’ he wished to add.

“All right. Let me just run to the bathroom first.” She said.

He nodded and scooted back his chair so that she could exit the table.

“Aren’t you very chivalrous this evening?” Hux commented to Ben.

“It’s 10:30. I’m not going to let her walk back by herself.” He said as he stood from his seat.

“It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this!” Gwen said, tossing a small, foil object at it. Ben caught it with ease, his face distorting as he read the word ‘Trojan’ stamped across the object.

“You ass!” Ben said, tossing it back at her. Gwen just laughed as she re-pocketed the item, the rest of the table none the wiser.

Rey had come back from the bathroom.

“You ready?” She asked him as she adjusted the strap of her purse over her shoulder.

“Yeah.” Ben said, allowing her to step in front of him so she could exit the restaurant first.

\- - - - - - - - -

“Thank you for walking me back.” Rey said to Ben as they descended down the back steps of the convention center.

“No problem.” He said, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

Half a dozen people in athletic gear were jogging up and down the steps as part of an exercise routine. A few of them were paused at the bottom as they stretched their muscles prior to their workout. Rey and Ben silently walked past the athletes as they rounded the walkway leading towards the marina and the Bayfront Hilton.

The yachts docked at the marina screamed wealth. There was one with a mini chandelier and another with a sleek motorcycle parked near the dock ramp.

“Dare me to board one?” Ben asked her.

Rey laughed and quickly shook her head.

“You’d get caught!”

“You’re right.” He said. “I’m too tall to be stealthy.”

They had reached the end of the pier right next to the hotel. Rey leaned her arms on the fence, her face illuminated by one of the many black metal lampposts placed along the marina.

Ben leaned on the fence next to her as she stared across the dark water of the bay. He was about to say something when his phone buzzed. Cursing silently, he removed the phone from his pocket. The incoming text wasn’t from Hux. He considered chucking his phone into the water for a split second before angrily pocketing the phone instead. He ran a hand over his mouth, his body angry and itching for a cigarette.

“Are you ever going to tell me whom you’re ignoring?” Rey asked, turning around from the fence. She leaned against it as she looked up at him. Ben sighed.

“It’s my mother.”

“Oh. Is she one of those smothering types?”

“No.” Ben shook his head.

“Oh.” Rey repeated softly. “What does she want?”

“What she always wants when I’m in San Diego. To play happy family.”

“She lives here?”

Ben nodded.

“I was born and raised here. You remember Kyle from the food truck? I went to school with him.”

“I thought you just knew him from past conventions.”

“That too.” Ben admitted, looking down at his hands.

“Why don’t you go home?”

“I haven’t been home in years. There’s a lot of tension between my parents and I. Especially since the divorce…”

“Ah.” Rey said.

She took note of Ben’s fidgeting.

“Ben, I don’t mind if you smoke.” She said to him out of the blue. He frowned.

“How…” He began but she cut him off.

“My Uncle smoked.” She said with a shrug. “I can see the signs of someone in need of a cig.”

Ben shook his head.

“It’s a bad habit. I need to quit.” He said.

“Yes, but if you need to, I don’t mind.” She repeated.

Ben hesitated. He wanted to be a better person for her. He didn’t want her to see this side of him. The flawed side.

“Ben…”

He was snapped from his thoughts by her saying his name. She placed a hand gently on his forearm and gazed up into his eyes.

“I don’t think less of you for it.”

It took all the strength he had not to kiss her right then and there. How she could tell exactly how he was feeling was beyond him. How lucky was he that he had met her? Could she tell how he was feeling her about now as well? Perhaps she did, judging by the way she drew in her bottom lip with her teeth as she continued to stare up at him with unguarded eyes.

“Rey -” He began before being cut of by the shrill sound of Rey’s phone. She looked away as she scrambled for her phone.

“It’s Rose. She wants to know if I made it back.” Rey said as she swiped through her phone. Ben nodded.

He caved and removed a vanilla Swisher Sweet from his back pocket, carefully tucking the wrapper away. He lit the cigarette while Rey typed multiple responses back to Rose. She laughed at something Rose had sent.

“She said Hux and Gwen just left.” Rey said, placing her phone back in her pocket. Ben was mindful to blow the smoke from the cigarette away from her.

“Looks like I won’t be the only one with hung-over co-workers tomorrow.” She teased him. Ben smirked.

“No surprise there.” He answered. “Besides, I think that can be said about a lot of the vendors.”

“You’re probably right.” Rey said, turning back around and facing the water again.

She stood so close to him that their hips brushed.

“It’s beautiful out here.” She commented as she looked across the bay again.

“I’m sure Washington is nice too.”

“It is.”

“I’d love to see it sometime.”

“Maybe you’ll have to come visit.”

“Maybe I will.”

Those words reminded Rey of their similar exchange back in Los Angeles at Coin-Op. How lucky was she to have met him? He was striking in every way. She stared at him as he awkwardly finished his cigarette, flicking it to the ground and dousing the curl of smoke with his shoe. Bad habits be damned, she could feel herself falling for him already. 

“I ought to get to my hotel.” He said, tousling a hand through his hair.

“Okay.” Rey said, feeling a bit disappointed but nodding her understanding.

They faced each other awkwardly as they both internally debated how to depart. A handshake was too formal. A kiss was out of the question.

‘Not like this.’ Ben thought to himself. Their first kiss would be perfect, just like she was. And yes - there would be a first kiss. He would make sure of it.

“Let me know when you get back?” She asked, biting on her lower lip again as she awaited his response.

“I’m just across the street.” Ben said.

“I know.”

“Okay then.” He replied, his lips twitching.

“Well… Have a good night.” She said, taking a step towards him.

Before she had the chance to change her mind, she let her arms wrap around his firm torso in what was meant to be a quick hug. She lingered there for a moment, basking in his warmth and the hint of vanilla smoke that clung to his t-shirt.

The extra seconds she took to indulge in his comforting presence allowed him the opportunity to pull her into him even tighter. One hand at the small of her back, the other resting on her shoulder blade as her cheek dug into his chest. She was pressed so close she could hear the intense thud of his heartbeat.

They broke apart, the lack of his heat against her chilling her instantly. She shivered.

“Good night.” She repeated quickly to him.

“Good night.” He said, giving her a brief nod.

She headed into the hotel, willing herself not to look back. She hurried straight to her room. Once inside she dressed for bed, delighted by the faintest whiff of vanilla smoke that tickled her nose as she removed her top. Her phone buzzed as she brushed her teeth, but it was only Rose saying she was on her way back to the hotel with Kay and the boys. As she padded across the room to the bed her phone went off again.

Ben: At the hotel.

Rey smiled to herself as she sunk into the bed, phone in hand.

Rey: Glad you made it back safe. 

Rey: Thanks for tonight.

Ben: Anytime.

Ben: Sweet dreams.


	6. Competitor Co-Op

ComicCon had finally drawn to a close. Rey and Rose high fived each other as the last group vacated the booth. The assembly crew sweeping in almost immediately to begin dismantling the booth.

“Two down, two more to go!” Rose said cheerfully. She pumped her fists in the air. “I can’t wait for the next one.”

“Me too.” Rey said, quickly glancing over her shoulder at Ben. He was closely watching his own crew beginning to unplug and prep the XBox console displays for transport. His eyes were narrowed and grumpy, a frown frozen on his face.

Rey slid her phone out of her pocket, quickly tapping him a message.

Rey: Smile.

She hit send, then looked back up at him from afar to gauge his reaction. He must have received her text because within seconds his hand went straight for his phone in his back pocket. His face instantly changed. Rey watched as his cheek folded into crease, smirking as he read her message.

His eyes moved to hers and she grinned in response. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and made his way over to her.

“Hasn’t anyone told you if you make a rude face, it will freeze that way?” She teased.

“Why do you think I look like this?” He shot back with a light frown. She laughed.

“I like how you look.” She found herself saying.

She bit down on her tongue, wincing at the pain of her action as well as the words that had just slipped from her mouth. The corner of Ben’s mouth twitched.

“Not many people do.” He replied.

She opened her mouth to say more to him, but her name was called out from behind her.

Poe and Finn had arrived at the booth. Both shouldered messenger bags full of convention swag with them.

“Hey Rey! You ready to blow this popsicle stand?” Poe asked her.

“In a minute.” Rey said to Poe, slightly nodding her head to him. She wished he would go away but he just made his way closer to her.

“Nice to see you again Ben.” Poe said, nodding at Ben. Ben merely stared at Poe.

“So uh… You and your Microsoft friends are pretty cool. Rey tells me you guys often play online.”

“That’s right.” Ben said, quickly glancing down at Rey. She was biting her lip nervously.

“Awesome. Finn and I play a lot of Fortnite on our XBoxes too.”

“Does everyone at Nintendo own an XBox?” Ben asked sarcastically. Rey bravely gave him a playful nudge with her elbow.

“Hey man. Just because we work for rival companies doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy competitor games. Hell, half of our job is knowing our competitor anyways.”

Ben frowned at this.

“Well, if you ever want to play online - hit us up!” Poe said, reaching out his fist for a fist bump. Ben just stared blankly at the gesture. He was NOT about to ‘fist bump’ with this guy.

“All right then.” Poe said, retreating his extended hand and running it through his curly brown hair instead. “See you next convention!” Poe said. He walked back over to Finn and Rose.

Rey was staring at the ground, a pink flush of embarrassment on her cheeks.

“I think it would be fun.” She murmured as she scuffed her shoe along the concrete floor of the demo hall.

“What would?”

“Playing online. All of us.”

“Define ‘all of us’?”

“You know. You. Me. Poe. Finn. Rose. Hux and Gwen too if they wanted…”

“I can always ask.” Ben said with a shrug. “You get a new headset yet?”

“What?”

“Still got those Turtle Beaches?”

Rey blushed again.

“Yeah.”

Ben shook his head and clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“You’ve got to upgrade those things.” He told her.

“I’ll look into it.” She said, giving him a small smile.

“Rey! Come on!” Rose called.

“Well. See you online?” She offered.

“See you online.” He repeated.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey chewed on her thumbnail as she stared at spider-wrapped boxes hanging neatly on the pegs before her. She glanced down at her phone at the Chrome tab she had open, then back up at the product - comparing the two.

Yes. This was the one.

Was she really about to buy this headset? It was over a hundred dollars! Noise canceling, wireless, plush leather covered foam earpieces - overall sleek in every way. Did she really need a better way to speak to Ben? She had his phone number now. Then again, he hadn’t called her. Though why would he? A simple text asking her if she was wanting to join him online against his friends in Fortnite did the trick just fine. He needn’t call for something trivial like that. What would he call her for? Would he call her? Surely he wasn’t interested in her aside outside of co-op play…

They had a moment at the marina for sure. That lingering hug. Her t-shirt that she sneaked guiltily with her to bed in the hotel that night, taking in every last scent of vanilla smoke and faint spices the article of clothing had to offer. Perhaps this was all in her head, just like his voice. She could hear the deep rumble of it inside her head when she read his text messages.

Her hesitant hand reached out and touched the smooth packaging of the headset. She lifted it slightly from the peg. It felt heavy. She glanced at the price tag again. She had worked her butt off the last month. The extra money from the convention overtime burning a hole in her pocket. Surely this was a prime ‘treat yo self’ moment.

‘Ah, screw it.’ She thought, sliding the headset off the peg.

She hurried up to the register of the Best Buy, beginning to feel apprehensive. Like an underage teenager trying to buy beer with a fake I.D.

“I can help you over here!” The friendly cashier said to her, motioning her to his register.

Head down, Rey hurried over - placing the headset on the counter.

“Is this everything for you?” The cashier asked as he removed the anti-theft device.

“Mmmhmm.” Rey mumbled, nodding her head as she removed her debit card from her purse.

“Hey, aren’t you our Nintendo rep?” The guy asked suspiciously as he rung up the headset.

“What?”

“I think I’ve seen you in this store before.”

Shit. She knew she should have gone to a different Best Buy.

“Uhhh…”

“Do you want the extended warranty on the headset for just thirty dollars more?” He asked.

“I’ll be fine, thanks.”

She nearly snatched the receipt out of the poor boys hands as she high tailed it out of the store, her traitorous purchase in tow.

\- - - - - - - - -

“All right everyone, I want a nice and clean match. You hear me?”

“Yes ma’am!”

“All clear.”

“Roger that.”

“Bring it on ChromeDome!”

“You’re going down FN-2187!”

“No cheating this time GeneralHux!”

“I did not cheat last time!”

“Sure you didn’t. Your avatar just ‘happened’ to be there when the loot dropped.”

“Play nice you guys!” Rey chirped into her new headset.

This was her first online game with the accessory. Ben was right when he said the Razer headsets were worth their cost. The leather covered foam cushioned her ears just right. She instantly liked the ease of not being tethered to her controller. Wireless was definitely the option to go with especially if you owned pets. She had already caught Jak-Jak trying to chew on the cord of her old headset a couple of times. Right now he was hiding under the couch, tail twitching as he stared up at the glow of the TV.

“Okay everyone, game on!”

The characters scattered across the map. Rey could see Rose’s avatar ‘TicoThorns89’ bounding along side her as they rushed to gather weapons.

“This is so fun!” Rose squealed into her headset.

Rounding a hill in search of loot, Rey’s character dodged a rocket that came blasting her way.

“Poe! That nearly hit me!” Rey whined.

“That was the point.” Poe laughed.

An in game explosion erupted on screen and a chorus of ‘Oooooooooo’ rang out amongst the players.

“ThatDamPilot!!!” Hux grumbled.

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.” Poe laughed, having taken the games first kill.

It was nice they were all getting along. Hux was still the least enthused about being dragged into these game nights, but being online and not in person seemed to ease the tension. Gwen, aka ChromeDome, had been able to convince him to join in with the others.

Ben said Hux’s gamer tag of ‘GeneralHux’ came from him being a military brat. Poe’s tag came from his family connection to Boeing, where both of his parents worked. Finn’s tag ‘FN-2187’ was less creative, using letters in his name in addition to his house number.

“I can see you hiding Rey.” Ben said to her through the headset.

“What? Where?” Rey said, whirling her avatar around, trying to scope out the area.

A shot rang out and her character was killed, sniped from afar.

“BEN!” Rey whined.

His deep laugh echoed in her ear and she couldn’t help but smile.

“It wasn’t me! I swear!”

A childs laughter filtered through the headset.

“Ha ha ha ha! I got you!” they taunted

“Who is that?” Rey snapped.

“BEAU, GET OFF MY SWITCH!” Poe yelled.

“Make me!”

“I’m going to tell Mom!” Poe threatened.

“You suck!” Beau retorted.

Rey’s avatar respawned and she saw the character of Poe’s little brother Beau, aka ‘BeeBeeAte’ run past her in a gingerbread man costume.

“Your brothers name is Beau?” Hux sneered. “Beau and Poe? Your parents sure like rhyming.”

“They’re family names. Besides, we call him BeeBee for short.” Poe replied, annoyed.

The game continued on with Rey ultimately getting revenge on BeeBee - much to her and Poe’s delight.

“That was a great game night you guys, well done!” Finn applauded everyone at the end of the night.

“Can’t wait to do this again next weekend.” Gwen said.

“Oh no! We’ll be in Vegas that weekend!” Rose chimed in. Rey could envision her friend pouting into her headset.

“Vegas! Vegas! Vegas!” Poe began chanting, with Finn joining in.

“You’re not going?” Rey asked Gwen, beginning to feel nervous.

“Unfortunately my wonderful promotional talents are not needed at a convention that size.” Gwen sighed, a hint of disappointment in her tone. “Besides, I’ve been to Vegas loads of times before. I won’t be missing out of anything.”

“I see…”

“Goodnight everyone!” Rose happily wished everyone before signing off.

“Night!” Finn said.

One by one the friends signed off, herself as well - returning back to the main menu screen of the game. She took off her headset, placing it off to the side on her couch. She placed her controller next to it, reaching across to the coffee table for her phone.

She brought up her text messages and began typing away.

Rey: Are you staying behind from Vegas?”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she awaited a reply. It took a moment, but her phone lightly buzzed as his reply was received.

Ben: No. I’ll be there.

She let out a deep sigh of relief. Jak-Jak wriggled out from underneath the couch and came up to her, seeking attention.

Rey: Cool.

Cool? Couldn’t she have replied with something other than ‘cool’?

Rey: Fortnite again?

Ben: No. SoulCalibur.

Ben: Smash?

Rey: Surprised you even asked.

Rey: *winking tongue out emoji*

Rey: Yes. Smash.

Ben: Good luck with that. *smiley face emoji*

She smiled at her phone as she envisioned Ben’s signature smirk. Jak-Jak nudged her hand with his head, her phone nearly falling to the floor.

“I’m sorry buddy.” She said as she reached over and scratched behind his ears. He purred with delight. “You don’t like it when I leave, do you?”

Jak-Jak mewed as if he was answering her question.

“One more trip out of town. No more Miss Zuvio coming over from next door to check on you after that. I promise.” She said, giving him a scratch under his chin.

Her phone buzzed once again, Jak-Jak eyeing her phone with annoyance.

Ben: Thanks for playing tonight.

Rey: No problem! Us Nintendo people aren’t so bad after all *winking face emoji*

Ben: Definitely not at all how Hux painted you guys.

Rey: Speaking of, how are he and Gwen doing?

There was a lag in the response time.

Ben: Gwen still acts like it was one and done.

Ben: But Hux has been in a good mood lately, so I have my suspicions.

She laughed heartily at this, upsetting Jak-Jak. He darted away into the bedroom to hide. She got up and texted back as she made her way to get ready for bed.

Rey: Boy has it bad for her.

She wet her lips as she re-read her text to him. Hux wasn’t the only one who had it bad for someone.

Ben: What about on your end?

Rey nearly dropped her phone in the sink. Was he asking what she thought he was asking???

Ben: How is work?

She sighed. No. He was not asking what she thought he was asking.

Rey: Fine. Stores kind of slow right now.

Rey: You?

Ben: I have a meeting Monday morning.

Rey: Fun stuff.

She brushed her teeth, eyes glued to her phone in her free hand, awaiting his next reply. It came moments later.

Ben: When do you make it in to Vegas?

Rey: Thursday night. The 2nd.

Ben: Me too.

Rey felt giddy reading his response. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard of her phone, tempted to ask if he had any plans while they were in town. She had never been to Vegas before. A light bulb went off in her head.

Rey: I’ve never been to Vegas.

Ben: It’s not all its made out to be.

Rey: Oh? CSI lied to me?

Ben: Haha.

Ben: It’s crowded. It’s expensive.

Rey: You just described ComicCon.

Ben: Again, haha.

Rey: *winking tongue out emoji*

Ben: I just mean people make a big deal about it. And it’s not at all like the movies.

Rey: No tigers in my penthouse suite?

Ben: They’re giving you a penthouse?

Ben: Oh wait. The Hangover. Haha.

Rey: *tiger emoji*

Ben: *three money bag emojis*

Rey: *dice and martini glass emoji*

Ben: Haha.

Rey: *smiley face emoji*

Ben: If you want, I can show you around a few places when you’re there.

Rey nearly threw her phone she was so excited.

‘Calm down’ she told herself. ‘Act cool’.

Rey: Sounds fun. Let’s plan on that.

A pause.

Ben: It’s a date.

\- - - - - - - - -

Monday rolled around at the Los Angeles Microsoft office building. Ben grumbled, leaning back in his desk chair. It was one of those tall back leather swivel seats with the three legs that were on wheels. Despite the tall back of the chair, his frame made the chair seem smaller than it actually was.

He and Hux had just returned from their morning meeting. Hux immediately went to straight to work at his desk, tapping away rapidly at his computer. Their desks sat front to front. It always reminded him of the desk set up from The Office. He glared at his phone as it sat innocently next to his computer mouse and pad.

It’s a date. It’s. A. Date.

He typed it out because its what he wanted to say. His thumb had moved to delete it because it was too forward of an admission. His fat thumb hit ‘send’ instead of ‘backspace’. And her response? A thumbs up. A fucking thumbs up.

Fucking phones. Fuck his massive hands. Fuck it all to hell.

“Do you have to type so loud?” Ben snapped at Hux.

Hux paused, hands poised over his keyboard. He blinked for a moment before narrowing his eyes a tad.

“Sure Ben. Let me just turn down the volume of my keyboard.”

Hux reached out and mimicked in thin air the motion of turning down a volume knob.

“What’s gotten you so agitated this morning? Don’t like your new deadlines?”

Hux was referring to the deadlines discussed in the morning meeting. With several large title launches around the corner, a lot of graphics would need to be submitted in time to the proper departments for release, both in print and on social media.

“No. The deadlines are fine.” Ben grumbled, glaring daggers at his phone. Hux followed Ben’s line of sight.

“Oh this is LADY troubles.” He said. Hux smirked. “She tell you to stop pestering her?”

“No.” Ben snapped, glaring at Hux this time. “I told her we could meet up in Vegas.”

“And she turned you down.” Hux deduced. He seemed pleased at this which angered him further.

“I said ‘it’s a date’. I didn’t mean to. Well, I did mean to. I tried to delete it. But my fucking phone sent it anyways.”

Hux began to laugh, tossing his head back in amusement.

“And THEN she turned you down?”

“She sent a fucking thumbs up Hux! A thumbs up!”

Hux looked momentarily shocked.

“Why are you complaining then? Aren’t you crazy for her?”

“Yes! I mean no! I mean…. FUCK!”

Hux grinned slyly. Ben ran both hands through his hair in frustration, his fingers gripping into his scalp.

“Shut up.” He grumbled.

“I didn’t say anything.” Hux said smugly, his fingers back to flying across his keyboard.

“Gwen doesn’t think this will work.”

“What? The deal with Activision?”

“No, dumbass. Rey.”

“Because she works for Nintendo?”

“I could care less about that.”

“Snoke might care.”

Ben paused, thinking of his boss. Snoke was an unpleasant fellow. A grumpy old man if he ever saw one. He typically kept to himself. No one rarely saw him outside of his office. As reclusive as he was, he wasn’t someone you wanted to anger or upset. Ben could recall at least a dozen times where someone had been fired personally by Snoke. Each and every one of them left the office in tears. Even men older than him.

Ben shook his head briefly, no longer wishing to dwell on the boss man.

“Because of distance.” Ben explained.

“Oh.” Hux scoffed.

“I’ve only got two more chances to see her this summer. After that, it will be another year before the convention season starts over again. Besides, I don’t even know how she feels about me.”

“She certainly likes how you look.” Hux retorted pointedly.

“I know that...” Ben grumbled, staring back down at his phone. It had been silent ever since her thumbs up, and he had been too embarrassed to be the first one to text back.

“Then I guess you’ll just have to wait until Vegas to see how she feels.” Hux offered.

“I suppose…” Ben said, trailing off as he began fiddling with a pen.

“If she matters so much to you, I’m sure you’d figure something out.” Hux said matter of factly as he went back to work.

Ben stared at his friend for a minute, studying him. He was expecting more snarky comments from him. But Hux actually was making sense, offering solid budding relationship advice. It clicked.

“Oh my God. You’re still sleeping with Gwen!” Ben accused.

Hux smirked.

“What can I say? She wanted seconds. And then thirds.”

“Man whore.” Ben said, throwing his pen at Hux. Hux nimbly dodged it.

Before Hux could retaliate, they were interrupted by one of their co-workers approaching their desks.

“Hey Ben, do you have a minute?” Mitaka asked, almost nervously. Mitaka held a paper print out in his hands.

Ben pushed back slightly from his desk, turning his chair to face the scrawny young man.

“Sure. What’s up?” He asked, eyeing the paper suspiciously.

“I just wanted to go over something about the trip. To Vegas?” Mitaka asked, almost unsure of himself. He glanced down at the paper he held. “It says here in the itinerary email we need to be on site Friday morning at eight. Won’t we be needed to assist in set up on Thursday?”

“Hold on - what email?” Ben asked, turning back to his computer. He scrolled to his inbox, scanning its contents. “Oh, here it is.”

“Wait, I didn’t get an email!” Hux complained, shooting a nasty look at Mitaka.

“R-right. Um... Snoke told me I’d be going to Vegas to assist instead.”

“WHAT?” Hux yelled, standing up from his desk in a huff. Mitaka visibly flinched.

Ben scanned the email. Mitaka was correct. Snoke was issuing Mitaka as Hux’s replacement for Evo.

“Says here something came up during the developers meeting and they’ll need your attention on that instead.” Ben told Hux as he read off the email.

“Great! Just great!” Hux said. “I speak up one time - ONE TIME! - about conventions and this is how they repay me.” He shook his head. “I need to speak with Snoke.”

“Good luck with that!” Ben called after him.

A convention without Hux around was certainly going to be different, but maybe it was just what he needed in order to spend more time with Rey.


	7. Jackpot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucky Chapter Number 7! So sorry for the delay! Work got really crazy leading up to the recent holiday and I just barely got some downtime to whip up this amazing chapter for you guys. Less gaming in this part, but I doubt you guys will be complaining once you've reached the end. ;) Happy reading!

Ben impatiently waited for his luggage at the baggage claim of the Las Vegas airport. He and Mitaka had gone straight to LAX from the office, sharing the first of many uncomfortable and awkward Uber rides together. Mitaka had blabbered away the entire flight over, but Ben had barely heard a word through his headphones. The short man bobbed on his tiptoes to see over the crowd, also awaiting his luggage. The carousel continued to turn, suitcases slowly being picked up as they circled around.

“Ben?”

Ben nearly knocked Mitaka over with his shoulder bag as he turned around at his name being called.

Rey was walking up to him, flanked by Finn and Rose. With her she pulled a purple suitcase on wheels.

“I knew that was you.” She said, beaming up at him. “I could see you from halfway across baggage claim.”

“Hey Rey.” He said, quickly glancing between Rose and Finn. Finn was staring down at his phone. Rose gave him an excited wave and a smile.

“Aren’t you missing somebody?” He asked her.

Rey glanced behind her and then back to Ben.

“Oh. Poe decided to stay back. BeeBee is having his appendix removed.” Rey explained.

“Sorry to hear that.” Ben mumbled. Rey shrugged.

“Kid and his soccer buddies live off of Red Bull and Flaming Hot Cheetos. I suspect that may have something to do with it.” She lightly laughed. “But Poe’s close with his brother. He wanted to be there for him.”

“That’s nice.” Ben said.

Mitaka appeared at Ben’s elbow, oversized duffels in each hand.

“Bags are here Ben!”

“Thanks. Oh. Um. Rey this is -”

“Dopheld Mitaka. People just call me Mitaka.” Mitaka said, dumping his and Ben’s bags on the ground of the terminal to extend a handshake to Rey. Mitaka eyed her with great curiosity, his interest having been perked.

“I’m Rey. Ben’s friend.” Rey said, nodding her head towards Ben as she shook his hand. Mitaka glanced up at Ben and immediately flinched. Ben was glaring down at him as if he was about to bite his entire head off.

“Pleasure.” Mitaka mumbled as he shrank back and picked his bag up.

“Where’s Hux?” Rey asked, looking between the two men in front of her.

“The boss has him busy with another project.” Ben said as he retrieved his luggage from the floor beside him. “Mitaka is his replacement.”

“Well. This should make for an interesting weekend.” Rey said.

“Uber’s here!” Finn announced, raising his phone

“I’ve got to go. Um… Are we still…” Rey said to Ben, trailing off.

Ben caught onto what she was getting at. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Yeah… I’ll uh… I’ll text you the details.”

“Sounds great. See you tomorrow!”

“Nice to meet you!” Mitaka squeaked after her.

Rey waved to them as they exited through the automatic doors. Ben turned and shot another look at Mitaka.

“What are you playing at?” Ben snapped at him.

“I just said goodbye.” Mitaka meekly replied.

“Is our Uber here yet?” Ben barked.

Mitaka blanched and fumbled for his phone, quickly pulling open the Uber app.

“Uber should be here in….. Four minutes.” Mitaka said.

Ben crossed his arms grumpily as they stood on the curb outside the airport. Mitaka sidled up nervously alongside him.

“So uh…. Is she your -”

“No.” Ben replied sternly, cutting him off.

Silence.

“Is she seeing -”

“NO!” Ben repeated, this time more harshly. Mitaka flinched again.

The Uber pulled up and Ben forcefully chucked the bags in the back of the awaiting Nissan. Mitaka opened his mouth like he was about to say something about how Ben’s heavier bag crushed his own duffel, but he snapped it shut as Ben slammed the trunk door.

This would be an interesting weekend indeed.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey was quiet on the Uber drive down the neon lit streets of Vegas en route to their hotel. She chewed her thumb nail again as she stared out the window.

When she had read Ben’s text of ‘It’s a date’, she was pretty sure she had momentarily stopped breathing. And what did she reply with? A wimpy thumbs up emoji. A THUMBS UP EMOJI. And then she hadn’t heard from him for the rest of the week. She had been too nervous to use words and the emoji was the first thing that had come to her mind.

Her heart had skipped a beat when she spotted his tall figure in the baggage claim. Rose had given her a sneaky smile as they piled into their Uber. She knew Rose was dying to say something to her about Ben, but she was too busy chatting about tomorrows plans with Finn.

Rey glanced down at her phone for probably the tenth time since she got in the Uber. Ben had said he would text her details of their so called ‘date’. She jiggled her knee impatiently. She knew Ben was busy traveling to his own hotel, but that didn’t stop her from obsessing over his awaited text.

“Rey?”

“Hmm?” Rey said, her head snapping up from her blank phone.

“Dinner at the hotel restaurant okay?” Rose asked her.

“Oh. Sure. That’s fine.” Rey said.

“We can go out tomorrow night. Viva Las Vegas baby!” Rose cheered.

Their Uber pulled up through the MGM Grand roundabout. A valet approached the vehicle to help them unload. Rose thanked the Uber driver as Finn assisted the valet with their suitcases.

“I was thinking we could check out the strip.” Rose suggested as they entered the lobby.

“I hope you mean the Boulevard kind of strip and not that Thunder From Down Under kind.” Finn said, giving her a wink.

Rose gave a huff of annoyance.

“That’s at the Excalibur, not the strip Finn.” Rose said. She immediately blushed. “Not that I Googled it or anything….”

“Sure Rose.” Rey teased Rose, elbowing her friend gently.

“You’re one to talk.” Rose said, her face still red from embarrassment. She nudged Rey back. “What was that ‘I’ll text you the details’ thing at the airport about? Hmm???”

“The what now?” Finn asked.

“Excuse me, this is girl talk.” Rose said to Finn, pulling Rey off to the side, leaving Finn to check them in.

“Oh. Well… Ben may have asked me out….” Rey admitted quietly. Rose squealed, her shrill voice echoing in the domed lobby. Several hotel patrons passing through glared in their direction. Rey blushed at the unwanted attention.

“You didn’t tell me this! When?!?!?!?” Rose asked excitedly.

“After we got offline Sunday night.”

Rose squealed again, this time considerably softer.

“So what did he say? Was it romantic? Oh please tell me it was romantic.”

Rey shrugged and Rose’s face slightly fell.

“I mentioned I had never been to Vegas before. Obviously he has, so he offered to show me around while we were here. I said ‘let’s plan on that’ and he replied with ‘it’s a date’.”

Rose swooned.

“Oh Rey! You’re going to have so much fun! But don’t have too much fun! Remember, it’s Vegas. And they say what happens in Vegas -”

“- Stays in Vegas.” Rey finished for her. “So I’ve heard….”

“Right. And I want to hear all the juicy details!” Rose winked at her.

“You girls are lucky. You get a room on the twelfth floor.” Finn said, walking over to them and handing them their key cards. “I’m on the fifth. I don’t even get a view.” He continued glumly.

Rose stuck her tongue out at Finn and the girls giggled as they hurried to the elevators ahead of him.

Once inside their room, Rey hurried to the window to take in the sight. The bright city skyline blared in fluorescent hues against the dark background of night. Rey slid her phone out of her pocket and quickly snapped a picture.

“Oh look, you can see the pool from here!” Rose said, joining her at the window and looking down. “Did I even bring my bathing suit?” Rose hurried away just as quick to check her suitcase. Tongue pinched between her teeth, Rey giddily began a text to Ben, attaching the picture of the skyline.

Rey: Check out my view.

She tossed her phone on the bed before turning to her suitcase and beginning to unpack. Minutes later her phone buzzed softly against the comforter. Rey hurried and picked her phone back up.

Ben: MGM. Nice.

Rey: What hotel are you at?

Ben: Mandarin Oriental.

Ben: My view isn’t as nice as yours.

The photo loaded onto her phone. A blazing street sign of the word ‘CASINO’ could be seen right across the street from Ben’s hotel room.

Ben: That light will keep me up all night.

Rey: You poor thing.

Ben: Want to trade?

Rey: Hard pass.

Ben: Worth a try.

Ben: So about tomorrow…

Rey: Yes?

Ben: Does 9 work for you?

Rey: Isn’t that awfully late?

Ben: No one does Vegas before 7 pm unless they’re 65.

Rey: 9 it is then.

Ben: I’ll meet you in the lobby.

Rey: I’ll be there.

Rey: See you tomorrow.

Ben: See you tomorrow.

\- - - - - - - - -

The next day following the first day of the Evo convention, Ben paced in the lobby of the MGM Grand hotel. He hoped he hadn’t gotten too sweaty on the walk over here from the Mandarin. He really should have taken an Uber, but he had been too distracted by Mitaka badgering him about his plans for the evening as he made his departure from their room. Besides, the walk gave him more time to get over his nerves.

He rubbed his palms together before wiping them hastily on the side of his gray slacks. He reached for the collar of his black dress shirt and lightly fanned it back and forth. He adjusted the rolled up sleeves of his shirt that clung right above his elbows. He lost track of how many times he had glanced at his watch. It was 8:58 pm. He was near bursting with anticipation.

A chime from across the lobby signaled an elevators arrival. This garnered his attention. He turned around eagerly. His mouth instantly went dry the moment he saw her step out of the elevator.

He had only ever seen in Rey in convention attire before. Jeans and whatever promotional t-shirt that was provided for the vendors to wear. But now, she was wearing a purple and blue paisley print tank top that slightly flowed around her waist. She paired the top with white capris and strappy sandals.

He held back a groan as he realized his visions of her freckled shoulders had come true. The slight dip in the neckline of the tank top also showed off a faint dusting of freckles there as well. He suddenly felt like Cruella De Vil. Those spots of hers were driving him wild.

“Hi.” She said to him, almost shyly. “You ready?” She asked him. She nervously clenched and unclenched her fingers around the elongated clutch she held.

“Uh….. Yeah.” Ben said, taking a moment to bring himself back down to reality from the fantasies playing inside his head.

“I feel I’m under dressed.” Rey mumbled to him as they made their way down the sidewalk of the hotel. Several other groups of tourists and couples had already passed by them. Some of the girls wore short skirts and sky high heels. Every other girl seemed to be decked out in sequins.

“I think you look perfect.” Ben said. Rey blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Thanks.” She muttered. She cleared her throat.

“So where are we going exactly?”

“I've got a couple locations in mind.” Ben said, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walked into the depths of the city.

“Tell me… When did you leave London again?”

“I was six. I don’t remember much of it actually.”

“What would you say if I took you on a world tour?”

Rey glanced up at him, curious.

“Vegas style, of course.”

She grinned.

“I’d like that.”

The first stop was at Caesar’s Palace. They joined the throngs of tourists taking selfies in front of the replica Trevi fountain. A group of half intoxicated and laughing women in matching bachelorette party sashes tossed coins in the fountain before making their way inside the Forum Shops that stood behind the attraction.

Ben fished in his pocket while Rey took pictures of the statue of Triton.

“Have you heard of the Trevi fountain coin toss?” He asked her. She shrugged slightly.

“Only from cheesy Hallmark movies I’ve watched when I’m home ill.” She admitted. “Do people really believe in that stuff?”

A couple wedged in besides them at the fountain, taking a picture before turning their backs to the fountain and tossing coins in over their shoulders before hurrying off. Ben held out a hand to her, a bronze coin with ‘1 Token’ stamped on it rested in the center of his palm. She stared at the token, then back at him. She gingerly took the coin from his hand.

“Is this from the arcade in L.A.?” She asked as she rolled the token between her thumb and forefinger.

“I may have had some extras laying around my apartment.” He admitted with a shrug. Rey smiled.

“Hold it in your right hand and toss it over your left shoulder.” He told her.

“Are you going to toss a coin too?”

“I wasn’t planning on it….” Ben trailed off. Rey closed her fist around the token as she began to poke through her wallet. She pulled out a shiny penny and handed it off to Ben.

“Here.” She said. “On three?” He smiled and nodded.

Backs to the fountain, Rey counted down.

“One… Two….. Three!”

They tossed the coins over their shoulders, a satisfying ‘plop’ echoing from the fountain as the coins sank to the bottom to lie among the other offerings.

Rey rummaged around in her wallet again and pulled out another penny.

“One more. For good luck.” Rey said. Ben opened his mouth to say something about the significance of a second coin, but quickly decided against it.

“Where do we go next?” Rey asked eagerly.

“We keep the world tour going.”

They stopped briefly at the Venetian Hotel and stood on the bridge as they watched couples glide underneath them in gondolas steered down the makeshift canals. Next they moved onto the Luxor hotel, taking in the sight of the massive Sphinx in front of the pyramid shaped hotel and casino.

The next destination took Rey’s breath away. Paris.

“How did you know I always wanted to go to Paris?” She jokingly asked as they approached the mock Arc De Triomphe.

“I didn’t.” Ben said, having to quicken his pace as Rey hurried towards the crosswalk. The half scale Eiffel tower glittered with thousands of flickering lights, illuminating the joy on her face.

“It’s so big!” Rey exclaimed as she craned her neck up at the tower.

“Mmm. The real one is better.” Ben said, shrugging a shoulder. Rey turned to him sharply.

“You’ve been to Paris?!?” She asked him incredulously. Ben nodded simply.

“It was a long time ago, but yes.”

“When?”

Ben winced and one of his eyes lightly twitched as he considered her question.

“Summer before I turned 16. My Uncle’s an artist. He was living there at the time. My parents shipped me off to him while they finalized their divorce.”

“Oh.” Rey said sadly. While Paris was a land of fantasy and wonder to her, Ben obviously harbored bad memories from the place.

“It is what it is.” Ben said, running a hand through his hair. “It was fun at first, but when I came home, everything had changed. I didn’t hear from my Dad for almost a year following the divorce. And my mom… Well, she put everything she had into her work to distract herself from the whole ordeal. Sometimes… Sometimes I think I would have been better off if I just stayed with my Uncle….”

Rey reached over and rested a hand on Ben’s forearm.

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Hmm?” Ben asked, looking down at her. Her eyes sparkled with the reflection of the lights from the tower.

“I wouldn’t have met you if you had stayed in Paris.”

Ben found his face warming and he ran his hand through his hair again.

“I have Paris to credit for a lot of things too, I guess.” He said, glancing up at the gleaming metal. “My Uncle took me to every art museum Paris had to offer. That made me want to get into design. He even put in a good word for me when I applied to UCLA for their graphic design program.”

“Is that how you got the job with Microsoft?”

“Yeah. And that’s how I met you.”

Rey grinned up at him.

“Well, thank you Paris. And thank you Microsoft.” Rey said with a light laugh.

“What about you? How did you get to work for Nintendo?”

It was Rey’s turn to be forlorn.

“Luck really.” She said as she moved to sit on a vacant bench near the hedges lining the front of the Paris hotel.

“It’s a long story. My Uncle… Well…. My Step-Uncle, really. You see he was my Dad’s step brother. They were years apart in age. Not close at all. His name is Unkar Plutt. Uncle Unkar. Isn’t that embarrassing? Anyways, by the time I came around, he was all my Dad had left as far as family goes. On my Mum’s side, she was disowned by her own parents for getting knocked up with me. They didn’t approve of my Dad and his background. A poor man with a poor mans job, and sometimes no job at all. They both drank a lot. Alcoholics. You noticed I don’t drink a lot. That’s why. I don’t want to become like my parents. Parents who left their only child home alone while they went on a bender down the street at a pub. And on the way back home, driving drunk, they careened off the side of the road. The car flipped three times. Died on impact. Luckily no one else lost their lives at the hands of my parents recklessness. Though, I admit I feel a part of me died when they did…. If that counts….”

She paused and took a long, shuddering breath.

“I’m sorry. I’m rambling. This all has a point. I promise.” She said to Ben, who merely gently nodded in her direction.

“Even my mum’s parents didn’t want me after their daughter had passed. They never wanted me before I was born. So the court handed me off to Unkar, since he was legally my next of kin. Within six months we were flying halfway across the world to Seattle. Unkar got a job with Boeing. They were offering sign on bonuses, and he couldn’t pass up that kind of money. He ended up buying me a GameBoy from a pawn shop to, in his words ‘keep your trap shut’ during the flight from London to Seattle. From that small, and somewhat insensitive gesture, I was hooked. I would do whatever I could to earn money to buy a new game for it. I’d cut grass. I learned how to change the oil on Unkar’s car. I cleaned the house. When I wanted a new system, I’d buy the broken ones for cheap from the pawn shops and I learned to fix them up. Started working for one of the pawn shops. One day, someone came in trading in a bunch of old Nintendo products they had from their collection. Said they just left working for Nintendo in field sales, and they didn’t want some of the old games they had been given. I remember going to the closest library that same day and I applied online. Two weeks later they wanted an interview, and two weeks after that I was offered the job.”

She sighed, feeling a little bit of a weight lifted off her shoulders.

“Rey, I…. You didn’t have to tell me all that.” Ben said softly. “You could have just declined to answer my question…”

“I know.” Rey said, looking down at her hands in her lap, twisting them together. “But I’m glad I did. I feel I know more about you now… And, now you know more about me. Though- maybe more than you would have liked to.”

“Don’t say that.” Ben said. “I like…. Getting to know you.” He said, pausing awkwardly in the middle of his last sentence.

“I like getting to know you too. Thank you for the world tour. It was lovely.”

“Oh, it’s not over yet.” Ben said, looking down at his watch.

“It’s not?” Rey asked confused. “What else is there left to do?”

“The grand finale.”

Ben stood up from the bench and held a hand out to her. She slowly took his awaiting hand, rising from the bench. They headed back to the crosswalk and went across the street where a crowd was gathering in front of a large pond. The Bellagio hotel stood proudly in the background.

Ben checked his watch again.

“Why are we here?” Rey asked, looking across the calm water.

“Give it a minute.” He whispered to her.

The crowd began to clap as eight spout of water burst out of the lake, illuminated by lights below the surface. The eight spouts soon turned into twenty. Then there were too many for Rey to count. The spouts twisted and turned, synchronized in a grand display. There were gasps of delight followed by oohs and ahhs as the spouts increased in height.

Rey was mesmerized by the sight of the fountain show. The grand hotel in the background made the show seem more elegant by the minute. The spouts sank down, just to shoot up again, high into the night sky. Even more fountains erupted in the background, these ones were lit with pink lights.

She felt Ben’s hand reach for own as they stood there, silent as they gazed at the fountains. Their fingers laced, Rey leaning into Ben’s warmth as a breeze of mist from the fountains passed through the crowd.

Rows upon rows of spouts raised at varying levels, creating an illusion of diamond shapes in the middle of the water. Arches of water circled the diamonds. The spouts burst upwards in a wave pattern. The center spouts shot up higher than before, the crowd erupting in cheers at the spectacle.

The show was over and the crowd began to disperse until it was just Rey and Ben standing in front of the choppy waters below the Bellagio. Rey looked down at their hands, never wanting to let go.

“Ben….” Rey said quietly. She flexed her hand underneath his. “I have to tell you something.”

“Okay…..” Ben said slowly.

“Remember how you said Turtle Beach made rubbish headsets?”

Ben lightly laughed.

“I don’t think those were my exact words, but go on.”

“I bought a new pair. Razers. Like you suggested. So I could chat with you online. Just so I could chat with you online.”

She didn’t dare look at him as she made her confession.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something too.” He said.

“Oh?”

“I tried to tell you when we were in San Diego…. The week after I met you…. I bought a Switch.”

This got Rey’s attention. She stared up at him in admiration.

“Hux is an idiot. Breath Of The Wild is a cool game.”

“It is, isn’t it.” Rey laughed.

“Thing is… You love your job so much. You have such excitement for what you do that when you talked to me about games at E3, you made me want to get one. And honestly, having it made it seem like I had a part of you with me, even when you weren’t around.”

“Ben…. I don’t know what to say….” Rey said, looking down at their hands again.

“Did you have a good time tonight?”

She nodded.

“I did. But Ben I…..”

“But what?”

Rey sighed and bit her bottom lip.

“I liked getting to know you tonight because… Because I really like you.” she practically whispered.

Ben gently squeezed her hand. He took a step closer to her, raising a hand to her chin. He tilted her face up so her eyes could meet his.

“I can’t stop thinking about you Rey…. Ever since E3….. I …. I really like you too.”

“You do?”

Ben nodded. Rey’s chest heaved with a sigh of contentment.

“This quite possibly has been the greatest night of my life.” She told him.

“No it hasn’t.” He said, shaking his head at her.

Before she could respond, he lowered his face to hers, capturing her lips in a soft kiss as the Bellagio fountain erupted behind them.

He pulled away after lingering a moment, her eyes wide and emotional.

“NOW it’s been the greatest night of your life.”


	8. Boss Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *looks at title* Bet ya'll can guess what happens in this one.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes - I know I haven't updated in forever. That's what happens when you host your parents for Christmas, have a child with an early January birthday, and fall into a depression on top of all that. But despite combating an incoming cold, I was able to finish this wonderful update for ya'll. Happy reading. Enjoy!

Rey crept back into her hotel room as to not wake Rose. It was nearly 2 am and she still had work in about six hours. She silently tip toed across the room using the light from her phone to illuminate the way to her bed. She stripped down in the dark into an over sized t-shirt before crawling into the bed. After the night she had all she could do was pray for a good nights sleep, her mind and body still racing from her evening with Ben.

She wasn’t sure when she fell asleep, but at least she felt decently rested when her phones alarm woke her. She quickly silenced the alarm and gathered her clothes for the day, hurrying into the bathroom to get ready. Roughly thirty minutes later, she softly heard movement from inside the bedroom. Rose must be awake. Rey slid opened the bathroom door and peeked her head out. Rose stared back at her like a deer in headlights, still in her clothes from the night before.

“Rey! Hey….” Rose said, quickly brushing at her hair with a hand. “I thought you were still asleep!”

Rey’s face broke into a grin. Rose deeply blushed.

“Oh hush! I’ve got to pee!” Rose said, moving past her and into the bathroom. Rey politely stepped out.

“The walk of shame? Really?” Rey called through the bathroom door. “Well… I guess what happens in Vegas -”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence Rey Niima!” Rose shouted back over the sound of the flushing toilet. The sink turned on for a minute before Rose opened the door again and she walked out.

“All right. Spill.” Rey said, crossing her arms at her as Rose went about grabbing fresh clothes from her suitcase. Rose sighed.

“It happened after you left.”

“Obviously.”

“Finn and I went out to get dinner at that sushi restaurant down the street. Not only do they have some of the BEST California rolls, they also had karaoke and - of course - slot machines. So I said to Finn ‘Hey, let’s play some of the quarter slots’. For shits and giggles, you know? And Rey - I won $500!!!”

“Nice one Rose! So what happened then? Did you go to the Excalibur?”

Rose blushed again.

“Nothing like that. After I won I said ‘drinks on me!’. So I bought the two of us a round of drinks. And then another… And then another.. And then I ended up telling Finn how I felt about him. Well, I didn’t tell him really. I actually went straight for a kiss. One thing led to another and we ended up back at his room and…. I think you can figure out the rest.”

Rey frowned at her friend.

“Why aren’t you happy then? I thought you wanted this to happen!”

“Not like this.” Rose said, shaking her head and frowning. “What if he thinks I’m a huge slut now?”

“If he thinks that he isn’t worth your trouble. Besides, he’s partially to blame. This was consensual for both, right?”

“Of course.” Rose nodded. “Still. I’m never drinking Sake again.”

“Come on. Let’s hurry so we can get you some Starbucks for your hangover.”

Rose groaned at the mention.

“You’re too kind Rey. I’m so glad we’re friends.” Rose said, moving to give Rey a hug.

“Besides.” Rey said with a smile as they parted. “I’ve still got my night to tell you about.”

\- - - - - - - - -

The following day - Finn, Rose, and Rey all pulled their suitcases through the airport.

“What gate are we at again?” Finn asked Rose. Rose glanced down at her boarding pass.

“C3.”

“They why are we all the way down at the E gates?” Finn whined.

Rose and Rey shared a smile together.

“You two are up to something.” Finn said from behind them. “I don’t like this.”

“Look Rey! Isn’t that Ben?” Rose said loudly as they strode past one of the many Delta gates. Ben glanced up at them as he sat in a tiny blue seat at his gate. Mitaka was seated next to him.

“I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Rey said, stopping in the middle of the walkway. Finn looked back at her, a confused look on his face.

“Come on Finn. Let’s get some breakfast.” Rose said, grabbing onto Finn’s hand and pulling him away.

“Excuse me ma’am. I do believe you have the wrong gate.” Ben said to Rey, standing as she approached. Rey laughed.

“I wish I was going to L.A.” She said, her face falling.

“Me too.”

He raised a hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear for her.

“We’ll see each other soon. PAX is only three weeks away.” Ben reminded her.

“True. I’ll actually be back in San Diego at the end of September for a sales conference as well. I don’t know how far of a drive that is for you but-”

“I’ll be there.” Ben said immediately. She blinked up at him.

“Really? You don’t have to make the trip if you don-”

“No. I want to.” Ben interrupted again. “Just let me know the dates.”

Rey smiled.

“Okay. My flight leaves the 21st.”

“All right.”

“Still on for game night on Sundays?”

“Of course.”

“Great.”

“Maybe I can call you this weekend too.”

“I’d like that.”

He then cupped her chin and cheeks with both of his hands, tilting her face up towards his so he could capture her lips in a sweet and lingering kiss. Her hands moved to gently wrap around his wrists as he held her face, leaning up on her toes and into the kiss.

“Thank you waiting passengers! We will now begin boarding Zones 1 and 2 for flight 1039 to Los Angeles.” A cheery voice announced overhead.

“I’ve got to go.” He whispered to her as he rested his forehead against hers. She nodded between his hands.

“Bye Ben.” She said as she pulled herself from his hands. Her eyes fell on Mitaka, who looked as if someone had just kicked his puppy.

“It was nice to meet you.” She said to him. Mitaka merely nodded, giving Ben a nasty look behind his back.

Rey grabbed for the handle of her suitcase, turning and giving Ben a final wave as she walked away.

“Attention passengers for flight 1039 en route to Los Angeles. We will now begin boarding Zone 3. Now boarding Zones 1, 2, and 3.”

Ben fumbled for his phone with one hand while he moved to get into the boarding line. He quickly scrolled through his contacts and initiated a call - hoping they’d answer swiftly. If his instincts were correct, they would. And they did.

“Hey Mom. It’s…. It’s me….” He said as he cradled the phone against his shoulder, his now free hand retrieving his boarding pass from his pocket.

“No…. I don’t need bail money.” He said into the phone annoyed. “No, I’m not in trouble either. Look, I’m about to board a plane so I don’t have a lot of time. But uh… I’m uh…. Thinking of coming home for a visit.”

He winced at the shriek of delight that came through the other end of the phone.

“Yes. A visit. A short one….. When? Ah - um - around the 21st of September….. Yes…. Yes. I’ll keep you posted….. Okay Mom, I’ve got to go…… Mmmhmm…. Bye.”

\- - - - - - - - -

Ben heaved himself onto his leather sofa, phone in his hand as he placed a delivery order from his favorite Chinese restaurant down the street. As soon as he was back from the airport he had crashed and slept for about three hours. Now he was awake and NOT in the mood to cook. Frankly, he was never in the mood to cook. Either he was too tired from work or the gym. Sometimes a combination of the two. But tonight, all he wanted to do was settle down with egg rolls, fried rice, and heaps and heaps of sautéed meat. Hanging up with Peking Gourmet, he checked his text messages. His face cracked a grin as he saw he had replies from Rey.

Ben: Made it back from the airport. Text me when you get in.

Ben: Missing you already.

Rey: Just landed. It’s raining. *frowny face emoji*

Rey: Been missing you since the airport.

He smiled to himself as he tapped out a reply.

Ben: Raining in Seattle? Shocking.

Ben: *winking emoji*

He stared at his phone for a couple minutes awaiting reply but the device remained silent. He exited out of his conversation with Rey, now turning his attention to the several un-read text messages from his mother.

Mom: So glad you’re coming to visit!

Mom: Any particular reason?

Mom: I’ll make your favorite dinner.

Mom: Did you make it back home okay?

Mom: Don’t forget to call me.

Mom: Love you!

Ben tossed his phone to the side and reached for his Pro Controller on the coffee table next to an empty Red Bull can that had been there since before he left for Vegas. He started up his Switch while he awaited the arrival of his dinner.

Thirty minutes later the sharp rap at the door signaled the arrival of Stephen, Peking Gourmet’s delivery boy. Ben paused the game and rounded his couch en route to the door. He swiped his wallet off the end table near the door and fished out two twenty dollar bills. He opened the door.

“I thought you were going to text me when you got back.” Hux said as he barged into Ben’s apartment, a grocery bag of beer and pretzels in his hand.

“Uh… I fell asleep.” Ben said slowly as Hux began unloading the beverages onto his kitchen counter. Hux made a disgusted face at the crumbs littering the countertop, brushing them aside with the edge of his hand and onto Ben’s floor. Ben shut the door.

“This is a surprise. I thought you’d be spending time with Gwen.” Ben said as he reached for one of the bottles Hux had brought.

“Her brother is in town.” Hux said with a hint of a sigh. “You’ve eaten dinner right?”

“Actually…..”

“BEN.” Hux suddenly yelled. The bag of pretzels in his hands fell to the floor, several of the snacks audibly breaking inside at the contact. “What the FUCK is that?” He asked, pointing to the TV.

“Oh… That.” Ben said sheepishly. Hux rounded the kitchen and stared with narrow eyes at Ben’s television set.

“Is that…. A SWITCH?”

“Uh….”

Another knock at his door. Ben was never more grateful for the interruption. He opened the door to find Stephen on the other side, holding plastic bags with a yellow smiley face on them in each hand.

“Hi Ben!” Stephen greeted him in his nasally voice. “Got your order right here!”

“Thanks Stephen.” Ben said as he took the bags from him.

“Oh WOW! Is that Breath Of The Wild?” Stephen asked as he peered past Ben and into the apartment. “I love that game. How many shrines have you found?”

“Er… 52?”

“You’re about halfway there! I’m at 90 myself. Not counting the DLC.”

“That will be all Stephen.” Ben said, shoving the money at him.

“Gee thanks Ben!” Stephen said glancing down at his tip. “See you next time!” He said, giving him a quick wave before Ben slammed the door shut.

Hux was glaring at him as he made his way to the kitchen.

“I can’t believe you bought one of those things.” Hux said to him, disgusted.

“Says the closet Nintendo fan.” Ben scoffed as he went about unpacking his food. Hux pursed his lips.

“You’ve got it bad for this girl, don’t you?”

Ben didn’t reply.

“Come on. Are you really going to tell me nothing happened between you two while you were in Vegas?”

“You know how Vegas works.” Ben cheekily replied. Hux frowned and swiped one of Ben’s egg rolls.

“Hey!”

“That tag line is so old. So what happened?”

Ben remained silent as he mixed a packet of sauce into his rice.

“Fine.” Hux said haughtily. “I’ll just ask Mitaka what happened at work tomorrow.”

Ben scowled at Hux. Hux chewed the egg roll with a smug look on his face.

“I showed her the city.” Ben said with a shrug of one shoulder. “She had never been before. Took her to some of the touristy areas.”

“Is that all you showed her?”

“Ew.” Ben said, making a face at Hux. “Unlike you, I don’t fuck on the first date.”

“So it WAS a date!” Hux said, pleased with Ben’s revelation. “And I don’t always fuck on the first date. Sometimes I fuck BEFORE the first date.”

“Gross. Remind me why we are friends?”

“Because I’m one of the few people that can put up with your broodiness.”

Ben shoved past Hux and slumped down at his kitchen table with a plate overflowing with beef, chicken, and rice. Hux sat across from him, casually sipping one of the beers he brought.

“What are you going to do now?”

Ben washed down a forkful of meat and rice with a swig of his beer before responding.

“About what?”

“About the girl.”

“Rey. Her name is Rey.”

“Whatever.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean there’s only one more convention this season. Only one more chance for you to see her.”

“Actually -” Ben said, his voice laced heavily with smug. “She’s got a sales conference coming up. In San Diego.”

“Well isn’t that lucky?”

“I like to think so.”

“Fine. You have TWO chances left to see her. Then what?”

Ben was silent as he continued to eat his dinner. He shoved another heaping forkful of food in his mouth to avoid spewing out all the possible scenarios that had filled his head during the entire trip to Vegas and back.

The easiest of the options: a long distance relationship. Thanks to the wonders of technology, they could still see each other through Skype or through FaceTime. They already talked enough through their headsets on the XBox. What was adding another device into the mix? His phone and laptop were nice enough to handle hour long chats.

There was the possibility of traveling. He had plenty of vacation time. He never went anywhere. Even when he was at risk at losing some of his hours, he ended up holed up in his apartment for a few days - binging whatever was new on Netflix. Now he had a reason to use his vacation time. He wouldn’t even mind making the day drive to Seattle. Okay… Maybe it was more of a two day drive. Maybe she would meet him part way. Spend a weekend in a hotel together, ordering room service and never leaving the comfort of each other - or the bed.

Then there were the ‘ifs’. Two big ones at that. First, if Rey considered moving down to L.A. She’d have to leave her job with Nintendo. A definite big if. Maybe she’d be willing to make the jump over to Microsoft. He could always put in a good word with Human Resources for her. He could help her find an apartment of her own. Maybe she’d end up moving in with him somewhere down the line. He’d have to keep on top of his cleaning. Which only reminded him of how messy he had let his place get.

The second ‘if’ was essentially opposite to the first. What if HE moved to Seattle? Microsoft had an office out in Seattle as well. Perhaps they might have an opening up there. So what if it rained a lot? He was a homebody anyways. And if it snowed? His car had 4-Wheel Drive. He would buy snow tires if he needed to. How hard could it be to learn to drive in the snow? The only issue about leaving his job down here came down to-

“Earth to Ben!” Hux interrupted, snapping his fingers at him.

“What?”

“Did you hear anything I just said?”

Ben just shrugged.

“I’ll figure something out.” He replied, scooping more food onto his fork. Hux scoffed.

“Just what every woman wants to hear.” He retorted, rolling his eyes. “Listen Ben. If you’re serious about this girl. This… REY. You need a game plan. Starting with defining your relationship.”

“What’s there to define?”

“Well, have you kissed her yet?”

“Mmyyrfft.” Ben responded, his mouthful of rice garbling his answer.

“What?”

Ben swallowed and raised his beer to his lips.

“You heard me.”

Hux smirked.

“That’s what I thought.” He said smugly. Ben frowned. “How many times?”

“Three.” Ben grumbled softly.

“And you haven’t asked her to be your girlfriend yet?” He disapprovingly clucked his tongue.

Ben thumped a fist on the table.

“Jesus, Hux! What’s with the twenty questions tonight? How about you and Gwen then? Hmm? Is she your ‘girlfriend’?” Ben curled his fingers into quotations as he spoke the word.

“Gwen prefers the term ‘fuck buddies’.”

“Urgh.” Ben said, visibly gagging. “Look… I… I’m working on it… All right?”

“Sure you are.” Hux said, reaching over and taking Ben’s last egg roll. Ben frowned again.

“She…. She’s special… I don’t want to fuck this up.” He admitted quietly.

“Better hurry up then lover boy. You fly out in three weeks.”

\- - - - - - - - -

“Great job everyone! Those were some good rounds tonight, so let’s go over the standings.” Poe announced into his headset. He cleared his throat.

“IN FIRST PLACE, with a total of 22 kills - ME!”

“Man, you cheated! Those last two didn’t count.”

“And in a VERY bitter second place with 19 kills, FN-2187!!!”

“Har har.” Came Finn’s sarcastic reply.

“Third place, ChromeDome! 17 kills. Nice job.”

“Thank you, thank you.” Gwen purred into her headset.

“Tied for fourth place with 15 kills each… Kyl0R3n and Scavenger92!”

“Good job there Scavenger.”

Rey grinned to herself at Ben’s praise. She could practically hear his smirk through her headset.

“Not too bad yourself Ren.” She cheekily replied.

“Rounding out the roster is TicoThorns89 with 12 and GeneralHugs with 9.”

“For the last time Dameron, it’s HUX. GENERAL. HUX.”

“More like General Sucks.”

There was snickering throughout the chat room.

“You were really off your game tonight. Everything okay?”

“Well maybe if Bonnie and Clyde weren’t helping each other out so much, I could have had a fair shot at some of the kills!” Hux spat.

“Bonnie and Clyde?” Ben repeated with a laugh.

“Hold up, I didn’t help Rose with anything.” Finn said defensively.

“Yeah, I sniped you from that tower fair and square.” Rose replied.

“I’m not talking about YOU.” Hux snapped.

“Wait, what?” Poe interrupted. “Who’s Bonnie and Clyde?”

“Ben and Rey. Obviously.” Gwen chimed in.

“Oh.” Finn and Rose responded guiltily at the same time.

“I get to be Bonnie right?” Rey asked.

“Wait, I’m confused.” Poe said. “What’s going on between Ben and Rey?”

“Nothing. Right Clyde?” Rey responded.

“That’s right Bonnie.”

“And what’s going on with Finn and Rose?”

“Oh would you look at the time?” Gwen said, right before logging off of the game. Hux followed suit and immediately did the same.

“Guys? Isn’t anyone going to tell me what’s going on?”

Silence.

“Finn??? Rose??? …… Hello???”

\- - - - - - - - -

Two weeks later, it was business as usual at the Microsoft offices. Hux was typing away at his computer, making the occasional phone call. Meanwhile, Ben had edited several graphics and checked his inbox approximately twenty seven - no, make that twenty eight times.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair with one hand, reaching for his phone with the other. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw he had unread text messages.

Rey: Tell your coworkers their cases look hideous.

Rey: (Image Sent)

It was a software case of Microsoft products at a Walmart. It looked like an earthquake had hit the store. There were crooked shelves and two toppled over piles of Madden games at the bottom. On top of that, it looked like a milkshake had been spilled on the glass.

He quickly tapped out a reply.

Ben: That’s not my department *tongue out emoji*

Ben: Maybe you should work for Microsoft if you care so much.

He smirked to himself, pleased with what he sent. His phone buzzed nearly immediately with a reply.

Rey: As if. I like the job I have.

Ben frowned and puffed out his upper lip in frustration. So far, none of his subtly dropped hints that Rey should look into moving down to L.A. had peaked her interest. His phone buzzed again.

Rey: As messy as the cases are, they make me miss you.

His lips twitched again.

Ben: I miss you too.

Rey: Can’t wait to see you!

Ben: But we saw each other last night.

Rey: Skype doesn’t count. *tongue out emoji*

Rey: You know what I meant. *winking kissy face*

“What are you smiling like a buffoon at over there?” Hux spoke up.

“Hmmm?” Ben hummed, raising his head from his phone.

“Oh. You’re on your phone.” Hux said, making a face. “That explains it.”

Ben placed his phone back on his desk and straightened in his seat.

“So how’s it going between you two?”

“Fine.” Ben replied vaguely. “We’ll talk on the phone. Skype every now and then.”

“Kinky.”

It was Ben’s turn to make a face.

“Nothing like that.” He grumbled as he moved to check his inbox for the twenty ninth time. He sighed loudly.

A woman with dark hair wrapped up in a sleek bun stalked past their desks. Her lips pursed as she glanced down at the papers in her hand she had retrieved from the printing office just down the hall. Ben leapt to his feet as she passed.

“Kate! You got a minute?”

The lady came to a stop and turned to look at Ben. Kate Unamo was in charge of the finance accounts for their branch.

“What is it?” She asked.

“I’ve been checking my e-mail since Monday and I haven’t received my itinerary for the flight to Seattle.”

Kate looked at him strangely.

“You know-” Ben said. “- For the PAX convention You’re in charge of accounts. The tickets have been purchased, right?”

“Oh.” Kate said, blinking a few times. “Um… No, they haven’t. I thought you were aware that Mr. Snoke decided not to send anyone for PAX this year.”

“WHAT?!”

Kate flinched back at Ben’s outburst.

“But… But…. No! He…. He can’t! HE CAN’T!”

Kate frowned.

“There have been several new hires in Seattle this quarter. Home office is perfectly capable of providing a full team to assist without reaching out to the other offices this time.” She said as she neatly aligned the papers in her hands. She stuck her chin out and turned sharply on her heel and stalked back down the hall.

Ben stared wordlessly after her as he could slowly feel his world falling apart. His hands balled into fists and they began to shake. Hux rolled his chair back and held his keyboard in front of him defensively.

“What are you going to do now?” He quietly asked.

“He can’t do this! He just CAN’T!” Ben repeated angrily to Hux.

“He CAN. And he DID.” Hux confirmed.

“I’m going to talk to him.” Ben said, running both hands through his hair as he paced, agitated.

“I’d be careful if I were you.” Hux warned. “Last time I talked to him not only did he downgrade my Comic Con booths, I got kicked off the EVO trip as well.”

“How could he do this?!?!?” Ben shouted again. He ignored the frightened looks of his nearby coworkers and stomped off towards his boss’s office.

\- - - - - - - - -

Ulysses Caesar Snoke was feared by many, if not all of the entire office. He had been known to make even grown men cry. Ben could recall at least three men who had been reduced to puffy, red eyes and soft sniffles as they cleared out their desks. He tried his best to calm himself down on the walk to Snokes office. He took several quick deep breaths before knocking sharply on the heavy door.

“Enter.” came a muffled reply.

Ben wiped his sweaty palm on the side of his pants before turning the doorknob and forcing himself inside.

“Ah. Ben. Long time no see.” Snoke said, briefly glancing up from his desk. The wrinkled, bald man wore a sleek goldenrod colored dress shirt with a matching gold tie. A pair of glasses perched on his crooked nose.

“I… I… I uh… I needed to -”

Snoke reached over a spindly finger and pressed a button on his phone.

“Karen! Where is my coffee???” Snoke sneered into the intercom.

Not even half a second later, a frazzled girl hurried into the office with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Snoke! They were out of espresso at Starbucks so I had to go up the street and-”

Snoke took one sip of the coffee Karen had handed him and spat it out onto the floor. He threw the coffee cup to the ground, its contents quickly spreading into the carpet.

“Karen! Clumsy girl! Look what you did!” Snoke accused. “Get the maintenance people in here immediately!”

“Yes sir! I am SO sorry sir.” Karen said as she scurried to pick up the coffee cup off the floor.

“And get me another coffee!”

“Yes sir. Right away sir.” Karen said as she hurried from the office, tears welling in her eyes.

“What were you saying Ben?” Snoke said to Ben calmly as if nothing had happened.

“I uh… Needed to talk to you about-”

“Take a seat Ben.” Snoke interrupted.

“Oh. Um. Okay.” Ben said as he cautiously moved to sit in one of the leather armchairs in front of Snoke’s desk.

“You’ve never come and talked to me before.” Snoke said, looking intently at Ben over the rims of his glasses. “Is your mother well?”

“Yes… She’s fine… But-”

“But what?” Snoke said, folding his hands across the top of his desk and leaning forward slightly.

“It’s in regards to next week, sir. The uh… PAX convention.”

“Ah yes.” Snoke said, leaning back a bit. He reached for a paper on his desk and examined it. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the main office is within close proximity to the convention. I saw no need to waste money AND time from my office to send a crew.” He looked back at Ben down his nose. “I assumed you wouldn’t mind.”

“That’s just it sir. I was making plans to-”

“Plans? Plans to what?” Snoke narrowed his eyes.

“Well, I was counting on going and-”

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the girl from Nintendo…. Does it?”

The room feel eerily quiet as Ben felt his heart stop.

“…. How do you know about R-… About that?” Ben slowly asked.

“Ben.” Snoke said, shaking his head. “You underestimate me. I’m disappointed in you.”

Ben frowned.

“Just because I don’t mingle with the cubicle filth doesn’t mean I don’t know the goings on of my own branch!” Snoke said with an evil grin. “Who is she?”

“She’s just a friend.”

“And you expect me to fund your way to Seattle to what? To interview with our competition? Are you planning on jumping ship?”

“No sir.”

“Then what? Selling trade secrets?”

“No sir! I’ve worked for you for eight years. I would never-”

“Then what?“

“I was…. I was just looking forward to finishing out the convention season. That’s all.” Ben hastily lied.

Snoke studied Ben over the rim of his glasses, one of his eyes twitching. He then slowly leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking. He laced his wrinkled fingers together and laid them across his chest.

“Ben…. Do you know WHY I hired you?”

Ben was silent for a moment, but when he opened his mouth to speak - Snoke answered for him.

“Because I saw the potential in you. Potential your Uncle failed to see.”

“But I-”

“It doesn’t matter that you’re not doing any original work.” Snoke said, waving a hand. “The talent is there. The drive.” He gave a little shrug. “And perhaps your family history had a little to do with it.”

“Sir, what does this have to do with the convention?”

“Why did I send you to those conventions Ben?”

“Because you told me I intimidated people. That I had an air of authority.”

“Did you program those games?”

“No sir.”

“Did you design the games?”

“No sir.”

“That’s right. You went on behalf of my kindness to you.” Snoke said, leaning forward in his chair and delicately touching his chest where a heart would be - if he had one. Snokes eyes then narrowed.

“I will NOT pay for ANYONE in this office to go to Seattle. Not next week. Not next year. Not. EVER.”

Karen burst through the door with a fresh cup of coffee.

“About time Karen. And WHERE is the maintenance crew? My office is going to reek of gas station coffee for weeks!”

“I’m so sorry Mr. Snoke, I’ll page Maria right away!” Karen said as she hurried back out the door.

Snoke sipped his coffee.

“It’s just business Ben. I’m sure you-”

“I’ll pay.”

Snoke nearly spat out his coffee.

“Excuse me?” Snoke said, his eyes widening and his glasses started to slip down his nose.

“I said I’ll pay.” Ben said confidently. “You said you wouldn’t pay to fly anyone to Seattle. So I’ll buy my own ticket.”

Snoke frowned and set his coffee on his desk.

“Seattle has a full crew ready to go. What part of that don’t you understand?” Snoke hissed, his voice beginning to raise.

“I can contact the team leader from the Seattle crew. Hux has her email from last years convention.”

Snoke pressed his cracked lips together in a thin line.

“I can be back at work that Tuesday. I’ll pay for hotel. Food. Everything.”

Snokes eye began to twitch again.

“You would pay... To go and work?” Snoke said, awkwardly pausing as he tried to comprehend what Ben was saying.

“Please sir.” Ben said, almost breathlessly.

“I hope you know that I have every reason to fire you. Right here. Right now.” Snoke said in a low and threateningly voice. Ben swallowed heavily.

“But I won’t. At least not today. I see your every intent. And if you so dare attempt to betray me, I can assure you - I will find out about it.”

“Yes sir.” Ben answered solemnly. Snoke barely lifted a hand as he shooed Ben from his office.

Ben was halfway to the door when he turned around.

“Oh. I almost forgot. I’m going to need some time off in September.” Ben said. Snoke smirked at him.

“May I remind you of the 30-Day notice the company requires for any time off?”

“Good thing I’ve got 31 days then.” Ben said, giving his boss a smirk. “Have a good day Mr. Snoke.”


	9. Secrets In Seattle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a harder time writing this than I would have liked to. A bit filler-y, but it was needed. ENJOY!!!

“Okay. New idea. Every time someone says ‘awww’ - take a drink.” Poe whispered to Finn.

“Awwww! Look at this one!!! A ‘baby bear’ onesie! Thank you Rose!”

“Drink.” Poe said to Finn. The two men raised their beers to their mouths and each took a drink.

It was a rare sunny Seattle afternoon. Rey and several of her co workers were outside enjoying the co-ed festivities of Stellas ‘Bottles & Brews’ themed baby shower. The backyard was decorated with blue ribbons and balloons, as well as several teddy bears. Stella’s husband Walter stood in a corner near a grill, talking to several other men that all nursed bottles of beer in their hands.

Near where Poe and Finn were standing, the women were sat in a circle in white lawn chairs watching Stella open her gifts. There were constant squeals of delight and ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ at the tiny little outfits she unveiled one after the other.

“Oh, and a matching ‘mama bear’ shirt!”

“That one came from Finn.” Rose said to Stella, glancing over at Finn and giving him a wink. Finn smiled before hurriedly masking it by taking another sip of his beer.

“Thank you Finn. I’m so glad you guys came.” Stella said, hugging the shirt and onesie to her chest.

“No problem Stells. Thanks for inviting us.” Finn said, raising his beer bottle to her.

“I think I’ll open this one next.” Stella said, reaching down to the pile of bags at her feet.

“Oh that’s from me.” Rey spoke up. Stella beamed at her and hurriedly dug through the tissue paper.

“Awwwwww!” The women all cooed as the gift was revealed. Poe and Finn clinked their bottles together and drank.

“It’s got his initials!” Stella announced as she lifted the picture frame from the bag. The women cooed again. “Thank you so much Rey!”

“You’re welcome.” Rey replied, giving Stella a warm smile. She gave Stella a quick hug before excusing herself from the circle of women. Rose remained, eagerly clapping her hands as Stella reached for another gift.

“Hey while you’re over there- grab us more beer!” Poe called to her as saw her make her way to the snack table. Rey shot him a finger gun and Poe grinned.

At the snack table she filled a pale blue plate with several chocolate dipped pretzels and a cupcake with a gummy bear on top. She tucked two bottles of beers under her arm as she made her way back across the backyard.

“Thank you m’lady.” Poe said as he and Finn retrieved the beers from her.

“Having fun?” Rey asked them.

“This is the first baby shower I’ve ever been to.” Finn said. “So…. I guess so?”

They all laughed.

“This is my first baby shower too.” Rey said, taking a bite of a pretzel and glancing around the backyard.

“Pretty nice gift. You make that?” Poe asked Rey as he opened the new beer. Rey nodded.

“Yup. Picked the frame up from the flea market. I repainted it and added the details and the initials.”

“Wish I was that talented.” Finn mused aloud.

“All I got was a gift card.” Poe said, shrugging.

“So who’s idea was it for the joint gift?” Rey asked Finn, causing him to choke on his drink. He sputtered a cough, blushing red.

“Please.” Poe scoffed. “Do you even have to ask?”

“No. I know it was Rose’s idea.” Rey said, grinning at Finn. “I just wanted to see his reaction.”

Poe laughed and Finn punched him in the shoulder.

“Shut up, man.” Finn said.

“I’m just kidding around.” Poe said, rubbing his shoulder with his free hand. “Just saying… It’s about time you guys got together.”

“Thanks.” Finn muttered shyly.

“Yup.” Poe said, rocking back on his heels as he looked over at the circle of women again. “Looks like it’s going to be a fun car ride back home.”

Finn frowned.

“Why do you say that?” He asked confused. Poe gestured to Rose with his beer bottle.

“Look at her, man. She’s got that look in her eye.”

“What look?”

“You know. The ‘look’. The one that screams ‘my ovaries are on fire, put a baby in me’.”

Rey sputtered a laugh as Finn’s jaw dropped.

“It… It’s too soon for that… For any of that!!!” Finn said in a panic. Poe just laughed and clapped a hand on Finn’s back.

“Just imagine it pal.” Poe raised his bottle and gazed off into the distance. “Next time we’re at a baby shower, it will be for you and Rose’s baby.”

Finn’s face glowed red.

“Just don’t name him John.” Rey added, wrinkling her nose.

“Agreed. Or Oscar.” Poe pointed out. Rey and Poe laughed. Finn just looked embarrassed.

“Well what about Rey?” Finn said.

“What about me?” Rey asked, popping the gummy bear from her cupcake into her mouth.

“I’m not the only one in a relationship here.” Finn said defensively.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Rey said, shaking her head. “I’m not in a relationship.”

Poe barked out a laugh.

“Yeah, right. How is Mr. Microsoft by the way?”

It was Rey’s turn to blush.

“Fine. He flies up on Thursday.”

“Mmmmm.” Poe said as he sipped his beer. “And is your apartment clean?”

“My apartment is always clean, thank you.” Rey said with a sniff. “Why does it matter if my apartment is clean or not?”

Poe and Finn just chuckled.

“Well, we won’t bother you love birds while he’s in town.” Poe said, taking another drink.

“Hey guys!” Rose said, bounding over to them. All the gifts had been opened and the other women made a beeline for the snack table. “What are we talking about?”

“Rey says she doesn’t have a boyfriend.” Finn said. Rose whirled around to Rey.

“What happened with Ben?” She asked, her face full of worry. Rey rolled her eyes.

“Nothing happened.” Rey said, shaking her head. “But…. He hasn’t asked me.” She said quietly.

Rose slapped at hand at Finn.

“Ow! Hey! What did I do?”

“Go get me a snack. Take Poe with you.” Rose said, shooing them away. Poe just took Finn by the arm and led him towards the snack table.

“What do you mean he hasn’t asked you?” Rose demanded.

“He hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend.” Rey said with a small shrug of her shoulder.

“You mean you’ve been practically talking non stop since Vegas and he hasn’t ASKED?”

“What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me Rose?” Rey worried, biting her lower lip.

“The man bought a Nintendo Switch because ‘it reminds him of you’. He’s CRAZY for you Rey. Trust me.”

Rey dipped her finger into a smear of icing on her plate and licked it off thoughtfully.

“I suppose….” Rey said slowly.

“No. No suppose.” Rose said firmly. “Now chin up. Everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

Rey gave her friend a small smile.

“Thanks Rose.” Rose grinned.

“No problem.”

Finn and Poe returned and Finn handed Rose a plate of goodies.

“Thanks Finny!” Rose said to Finn, causing him to blush. Poe just chuckled.

“Finny - what do you think about the name Daisy?

\- - - - - - - - -

“So how was your day?” Ben asked his laptop. The laptop was placed on his kitchen table in the vacant spot across from his dinner plate of leftover Thai food.

“Fine.” Rey replied from the other end of the monitor. “Stellas baby shower was today.”

“And was that fun?” Ben asked as he stabbed a fork into the pile of steaming meat and noodles.

“Hmm. I suppose. I’ve never been to a baby shower before. It was Poe and Finns first shower too.”

“Men? At a baby shower? Isn’t that a bit unheard of?”

“Yeah, but Stella wanted it co-ed. So it was more of a backyard barbeque slash baby shower.”

“I see.”

“What about you? How was your day?”

“Uneventful.” Ben replied before taking a bite of his dinner.

“Mmmm.” Rey replied. The camera on her end jostled as Rey moved her phone to a different angle.

“Where are you staying again?” She asked.

Ben took his time chewing his food before answering.

“Um. The Marriott.”

“Ah. Have you packed yet?” She asked. Ben shook his head.

“No. Would you like to help me? I’m not sure what to bring.”

“Sure.” Rey replied, a light laugh to her tone. “It’s summer in Seattle. So, t-shirts. Jeans. At least one pair of shorts. And a light jacket or a sweatshirt.”

“No shoes required?”

Rey laughed.

“Shoes of course!”

“Underwear?”

Rey flushed red on her end of the monitor.

“I mean, if going commando is your thing….”

“Not really.”

“Then yes. Bring underwear.”

“Boxers or briefs?”

Rey blushed again.

“I’ve always been partial to boxer briefs.”

“Oh really? I need to make a run to Target then.”

“Do you like seafood?”

“Seafood? You mean like fish and chips?”

“Like real seafood. Salmon. Halibut.”

“It’s okay. Why do you ask?”

There was another flurry of movement on Rey’s end of the monitor as she flopped onto her bed.

“I’m thinking of where I can take you while you’re in town.”

“You’re taking me out?”

“Well… Yeah.” Rey said. A blush spread across her cheeks as she fiddled with a strand of her hair. “You showed me around Vegas. It’s only proper that I show you around Seattle.”

“Rey, you don’t have to do that.” Ben said, slightly shaking his head at the laptop. “I’m just happy I’m getting to see you after-” He stopped himself, becoming silent.

“After what?” Rey asked.

“Nothing.” Ben said, shaking his head again. “So. Seafood?”

“There’s a really nice place called Ivar’s near me. I think you’d like it.”

“Sounds good.”

It was silent between them for a moment.

“I can’t wait until you’re here.” Rey whispered to him. Ben pushed his plate of food to the side and pulled his laptop closer to him.

“Me neither.”

“I’ve…. I’ve never really felt this way before.” She admitted shyly to her phone.

“I know.” Ben replied softly. “Me too.”

“I just want everything to be perfect.” She expressed, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “Vegas was…. It was spectacular Ben.”

“Rey, you don’t have to go overboard for me.” Ben said, thinking guiltily of the large amount currently charged to his MasterCard for his plane ticket.

“You just mean a lot to me.”

“You mean a lot to me too.” Ben said, smiling crookedly at his laptop. Rey smiled back.

“Text me when you land?” She asked.

“I will, but my flight’s getting in kind of late.” He said, looking down.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Uh… Not a lot of outgoing flights that day I think.”

“Huh. Okay.” Rey said thoughtfully. “I’ll get your text that morning then.”

“Sounds good.”

“Goodnight Ben.”

“Goodnight Rey.”

\- - - - - - - - -

The first day of PAX was well underway at the Washington State Convention Center. Rey stood at the front of the Nintendo booth directing the traffic flow of the line. Rose went down the row of people, passing out lanyards and pins to the awaiting guests. Poe and Snap assisted with the Smash Brothers half of the booth while Kay and Finn helped with the Super Mario Party half. The glow of the monitors lit up the excited faces of the con goers.

Microsoft had a massive booth with 15 different games on demo. Rey had only managed to catch one glimpse of Ben so far. He had been walking alongside a thin woman with pale purple hair who was talking animatedly to him. Hux and Gwen were nowhere in sight. Ben had texted her about 2 in the morning saying he had arrived at Sea-Tac with a second text nearly an hour later that he made it to his hotel. She had responded with texts that morning letting him know her schedule for the day. He had yet to respond, but she was sure he was tired after getting in so late.

When her break rolled around, she couldn’t wait to head over to the far side of the convention center to see him. The Microsoft booth was on the opposite side of the Playstation area. Rows of televisions were divided by black and green lit posts advertising the names of each games. The Tomb Raider booth was overseen by an bald Asian guy with thick coke bottle eyeglasses. Next was the Kingdom Hearts booth ran by a girl with blue and green hombre hair. She then spied his tall form at the end of the row at the Forza Horizon 4 booth.

With every fiber of her being she wanted to tackle him and smother him with affection- but she was still at work and so was he.

“Hey!” She said enthusiastically as she reached him. His face lit up underneath the XBox hat he was wearing when he saw her.

“Hey!” He said, pulling her into a tight hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he held her close. She never wanted to let go, but she had to remember to be professional. She brushed a kiss against his cheek as she pulled away.

“Where are Gwen and Hux?” She asked. “I didn’t see them on my way over.”

“Oh. They had to attend a developers meeting.”

“That’s too bad.” Rey said, looking around at the booth. “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah. I’m glad I’m here. Tired as hell though.” Ben said, rubbing a hand behind his neck.

“You didn’t tell me your flight was getting in at 2 in the morning.”

“I told you it was coming in late.”

“I thought you meant like midnight.”

Ben just shook his head. Rey reached over for his hand and laced her fingers together with his.

“Tell you what. After your shift I can take you down to the very first Starbucks. It’s a short walk from here over in the Pike Place Market.”

“Coffee with you sounds wonderful.” Ben said, squeezing her hand. Rey beamed up at him, leaning up to give him one more kiss.

“Text me when you’re off and I can meet you out front.” She said. Ben nodded at her, letting her hand slip through his as she left.

The walk to Pike Place Market was about fifteen minutes from the convention center. They held hands the entire way.

“So… This is the market.” Rey said, gesturing with her free hand. A metal sign was lit with red letters ‘Public Market Center’ with a clock off to the side. It was a little bit after six in the evening and the market was still just as busy. It was the summer time after all. The fresh fish, flowers, and produce appealed to both locals and tourists. There was of course a line for the Starbucks. Rey pointed out the original sign to Ben that hung over the cobblestone path of the market.

“I’ve read about it before.” Ben told her, nodding up at the sign. “Studied the evolution of brand logos at UCLA.”

“There was a class on that?” Rey asked, shocked. Ben chuckled.

“No. But I was an arts major, so…”

“You’re such a nerd.” Rey teased, looping her arm with his.

Rey ordered two Pikes Place brew coffee for them. They both reached for their wallets at the same time.

“I’ve got it.” Rey said, nudging Ben out of the way.

“You’re already showing me around this weekend. Let me pay.” He said.

“No no. My town. My guest. My treat.” Rey said, pushing his wallet away. The wallet slipped from his hand and fell to the floor with a pat. A few cards slid from the billfold and Rey caught sight of the key card to his hotel as he moved to pick them up.

“I thought you were staying at the Marriott?” Rey asked as she took her card back from the cashier. Ben hurriedly shoved his wallet back in his pocket as they moved away from the register.

“They were overbooked apparently. You know. With the convention in town and everything. So they had to set me up at the Hyatt Place.”

“Is that far from here? I can give you a ride.” Rey offered.

“Um. Sure.” Ben said, shrugging his shoulder.

They walked back towards the convention center, taking a turn into one of the parking garages. They took the elevator to the third floor and Rey led him to a gold early 00’s model Toyota Camry with a mismatched red bumper.

“Ta-da! This is me.” Rey said, holding her arms out with a flourish. She turned to him.

“I think you’ll fit if we move the seat back.” She said. She fished in her bag for her car keys.

“I know it’s kinda old. But she does the job just fine.”

“I like it.” Ben said. “It suits you.”

Ben of course had to maneuver the passenger seat back a few inches to fit inside comfortably. Rey flashed her staff badge to the parking attendant and was given a friendly wave as the security arm was raised, allowing them to exit the garage.

“So I was thinking we could meet up same time tomorrow and go from there. Save Ivar’s for Sunday night.” Rey said as she drove up the cramped streets of Downtown Seattle.

“Sounds good.” Ben said.

“I still can’t believe you’re here.” Rey said, shifting excitedly in her seat. She glanced over at him. “In Seattle. In my car.”

“Well, you’ll have to let me return the favor when you come down to San Diego.” Ben said, turning to look at her. “Drive you around town. Take you to dinner. Show you the sights.”

“One more day of work. Tomorrow is going to drag on, I just know it.” She said, turning into the parking lot for Ben’s hotel.

“Good thing I’ve got you to look forward to.” Ben said. Rey put the car into park, the gears grinding a bit at the movement. Ben leaned over and took her face in his hands, pulling her in for a kiss. He kissed her one time, two times, three times, before giving her nose a brief nuzzle with his causing her to giggle. Before he left her car, he took off the flat brimmed XBox hat he wore and placed it on her head. It was comically too large and slipped down her face. Rey laughed again and pushed the hat up with a single finger.

“You know you’re never getting this back right?” She asked him.

“I know.” He said as he ducked his large frame out of her car. He shut the door and waited there on the sidewalk of the hotel, giving her a wave as she drove off.

\- - - - - - - - -

Just as Rey had predicted, Saturday dragged on at a snails pace. Every fifteen minutes felt like an hour. By the time they were done for the day, Rey couldn’t wait to meet Ben. She weaved in and out of the crowds as the con goers exited the building. Once outside, she found Ben talking to the purple haired woman from the day before.

She politely stood back from them, not wanting to interrupt. Eventually the woman’s eyes landed on her and her face broke out into a smile.

“Is this her?” The woman asked Ben. Ben turned around, his cheek creasing with an equally delighted smile.

“Yes. This is Rey.” Ben said. Rey took a step forward and extended her hand to the lady.

“Rey? Oh that’s a beautiful name.” The woman said in a calm and almost Zen-like tone. “I’m Amilyn Holdo. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Rey said. Amilyn gasped.

“Your accent is just divine!” Amilyn gushed. “Ben tells me you two have been working the conventions this summer. And that you work for Nintendo?”

“That’s right.” Rey said with a nod. Amilyn laid a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“Well Rey - it is so nice to see our competitors working together in such perfect harmony.” She said dreamily. “Let me tell you how happy we are that Ben was able to join our team this weekend. And at such short notice too.”

Rey blinked, confused. “Oh?”

“You are more than welcome to join us over at the Marriott. We’ve got a mixer planned at the poolside.”

“Oh um. We had… Other plans.” Rey stammered, glancing up at Ben who was intentionally avoiding her gaze.

“Another time then.” Amilyn said, giving Ben’s shoulder a squeeze before turning and walking away.

The tension in the air around them was unpalatable.

“Ben?” Rey asked quietly. “What did she mean - ‘short notice’?”

Ben shuffled his feet and his shoulders rolled forward as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“There were some… Complications leading up to this weekend.” He slowly admitted.

“Complications? What kind of complications?”

“Well…. My boss wasn’t too keen on sending anyone from the L.A. branch up here. It was a last minute decision. And the Marriott really was booked solid. The Hyatt was the only place I could find with available rooms and-”

Rey held up her hand to stop him as the puzzle pieces fell into place. The ‘short notice’. The late night flight. The different hotel. No Gwen. No Hux. Not even Mitaka.

“Ben.” Rey said firmly. “Did you PAY your way up here?”

There was a pause.

“A plane ticket? Hotel?”

“Yes.” He finally answered.

“For me?” She whispered.

“Yes.” He repeated.

It was silent between them, save for the murmur of the dispersing crowds.

“Why?” Rey asked quietly.

“Why?” Ben repeated. “Why?” His tone was getting louder. He ran a hand through his hair and then down his face.

“Because I had to see you again Rey. I had to come up here. I just had to. And when I found out my boss wasn’t sending me I …. I…. I panicked. So - I offered to pay my way in order for him to let me go. Luckily…. He did.”

Another pause.

“You did that for me?” Rey squeaked.

“Of course I did. Rey… I…. I’d do anything for you.” Ben stuttered. “I’m crazy for you.”

Rey took a couple steps closer to Ben and reached for his hands, entwining them with hers.

“Really?” She asked.

“God, Rey.” Ben said. “You have no idea.”

She was quiet as she looked down at their hands.

“Anything you say?” She asked as she looked up, slightly tilting her head at him.

“Yes Rey. ANYTHING.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HMMMM. Wonder what happens next? ;)


	10. Player Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally slated to be longer so I apologize for that. However, the next few chapters should be of decent length. I hope that makes up for it. Also - the two words ya'll have been waiting for: SMUT WARNING!!! Enjoy. ;)

There was a scuffle. A thud. The jingle of keys. The rattle of a doorknob being clumsily unlocked.

The door to Rey’s apartment burst open with Ben stumbling over his own feet as he was dragged inside. Lips locked together, Ben blindly made to shut the door behind him.

“Watch out for the -” Crash! “- Umbrella stand.” Rey said.

“Sorry.” Ben mumbled against her mouth. Rey pushed Ben up against the door, continuing to kiss him as she locked it behind them. Her free hand fisted around his t-shirt. Ben’s hands wove themselves through her hair, his only focus on her.

“Nice place.” He murmured to her. Rey let out a giggle.

“You’re not even looking.” She said as she pulled him further into the apartment. Ben knocked into what felt like a kitchen counter.

“Where do you….” Ben started to ask but Rey cut him off.

“Bedroom.” Rey huffed breathlessly, nodding her head towards the open door on the other side of the kitchen. She took his hand and led the way. Ben briefly looked behind him, catching only a glimpse of the kitchen and the living room.

Once inside the bedroom, Rey turned and assaulted his mouth with hers once more. The kisses were deep and passionate. Tongues touching. The graze of teeth on a bottom lip. Ben fell back against a desk, breathing heavily.

“Are we really doing this?” He whispered to her. She pulled back slightly.

“Yes? At least I think so…” She said as she studied his face in the dim lighting. The corner of his mouth twitched with a smile.

“Good.” He practically growled. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”

“Oh really?” Rey said, cocking her head to the side. “Take off your shirt.” She demanded.

Ben didn’t need to be told twice. He reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head, his elbow knocking into the shelf above the desk. An unknown object fell over from the contact.

“Bloody hell Ben!” Rey gasped, mouth agape as she stared at his bare chest. “How many times do you go to the damn gym?”

“Well… I used to go twice a week. But I doubled it when I stopped smoking.”

Rey leaned back from him in surprise. Her face went soft, eyes wide with emotion.

“Ben….” Rey raised a hand and gently caressed his cheek. “You quit smoking for me too?”

“I needed to quit. It was a bad habit. I just…. Never had a reason to before.” He said, reaching a hand to cover hers.

“Oh Ben…” Rey said, sighing with contentment.

They kissed again, this time soft and slow and full of meaning. Pulling away, Rey swiftly removed her own t-shirt and tossed it carelessly off to the side. Ben’s Adam Apple bobbed as he swallowed deeply, taking in the sight of her. Rey held his gaze as she reached behind her to un-hook her bra. As the garment fell to the ground, Ben moved from his position on the desk to capture her in his arms. He pulled her close, leaning his head down to kiss a trail from her neck straight to her exposed chest. Rey moaned as he took one of her pert nipples in his mouth, sucking gently while his hands gripped her waist tight.

“Pants. Off. Bed. Now.” Rey managed to say between heavy breaths. Ben fumbled with the belt on his jeans while Rey easily slipped out of her own. She kicked the pants to the side and sat on the edge of her bed. She bit her bottom lip as she eyed Ben removing his pants. Her breathing hitched at the sight of what was straining inside the pair of boxer briefs he wore. He took notice of her line of sight and lightly laughed.

“As you can see, I went to Target. You approve I take it?”

“Blimey Ben!” Rey said, instinctively wetting her lips. “You’re huge!”

Ben laughed again, a blush visible on his face. “Has anyone told you your London roots show when you’re…. excited?”

“Excited? Do you mean randy?” She asked, her turn to blush.

“Randy?” Ben asked as he approached the bed.

“You know. Randy. Horny. You’ve seen Austin Powers, right?”

“Years ago.” Ben said as he leaned over her and kissed her. “Yes. Your British comes out when you’re randy.”

Rey giggled again as she laid back on the bed, pulling Ben with her.

“Yes. I’ve been told that before.” She admitted.

“By who?” Ben asked as he nipped at her collarbone.

“Todd.”

“Todd?”

“My ex.”

“Mmm.” Ben said as he kissed his way down her torso, a hand groping at her breasts. “Did Todd ever do…. This?”

Rey gasped as Ben slid his free hand against the growing heat of her core. She moaned as his fingers stroked up and down her covered folds. 

“No.” She gasped, her hips jerking in searching for additional contact. He hooked a finger on either side of her panties and slowly moved them down her leg, kissing the inside of her thighs as he went.

“How about….. This?” Ben asked before dipping his head between her legs to lap at the length of her slit. Her hips bucked again.

“No! God no.” Rey panted.

“You’re so fucking wet.” Ben said as he slid a finger inside her. Rey moaned, back arching off the bed.

“Do you like that?”

“God yes.” Rey panted again. He slid his finger back and forth a bit before moving his head back down to lick and suck at her center.

“You taste amazing.” He murmured as Rey continued to pant above him. One hand fisted the bed covers, the other sunk into his hair, pulling tighter with each throb of her cunt.

“Ah…. Ben…. Ah….” Rey gasped between breaths. “Please…. Ah…. I…. I want you…”

Ben moved back from her and searched the room with his eyes for his jeans. It was then he was hit with an unfortunate realization.

“Fuck!” He hissed.

“What? What’s wrong?” Rey said, sitting up slightly.

“All my condoms are in my suitcase. Back at my hotel.” He groaned, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“I’m clean.” Rey blurted out. “And I’ve got an IUD.”

“I’m clean too.” Ben said.

“You seriously brought condoms? Were you planning on this happening?” Rey teased.

“I wanted to be prepared.”

“Right.”

“And…. I HAD kind of hoped… I mean… I’ve thought about this.”

“About fucking me?”

“Yes.”

“About fucking my pretty little pussy?”

“FUCK!” Ben shouted.

“What?” Rey laughed.

“Keep talking like that and I’m not going to last.” Ben groaned.

Rey’s laughter ceased as Ben removed his underwear, revealing his hardened length. The shape of him in his briefs was nothing compared to him in the flesh. He poised himself above her and Rey spread her legs. She whined as he teased the head of his cock at her entrance, allowing her slick to cover his tip before pushing himself inside.

They both gasped at the sensation, both having never experienced love making uncovered before. After a few trial movements, they fell into sync with each other. Their bodies moving together as one.

“You feel incredible.” Ben said to her as he thrust against her. Rey moaned and swooned with every motion he made, digging her nails into the thick of his bicep.

“Oh…. Ben!!! …. AH!!!…. OH!!!” Rey cried out, her hips arching off the bed as she matched his rhythm.

“Fuck!” Ben cursed between grit teeth as he slammed hard into her over and over again.

“Ben! Oh! OH! BEN!” Rey panted, a hand grasping at one of her breasts. Ben took notice and swiftly took advantage, lowering his mouth to the other breast. Rey clung to him as he nipped and sucked, pulling at the nipple with his teeth.

“Ben! BEN!!!” Rey yelled on the brink of orgasm.

“Rey! Oh… OH! REY!” Ben grunted as his pace increased. Rey could feel herself come to a shuddering release around Ben’s throbbing member. His cock twitched inside her with his own climax. They clung to each other, breathing heavily. Rey nuzzled her forehead into the crook his neck, breathing in his scent of sweat and musk. Ben gently kissed the top of her head as his arms wrapped around her.

“I still can’t believe you did all those things for me.” Rey whispered to him as he rolled them onto their sides.

“I told you I’d do anything for you.” Ben whispered back, reaching a hand to push a strand of hair out of her face. “And I meant it.”

\- - - - - - - - -

Exhausted from the days work and more vigorous love making, they eventually fell asleep curled up against each other. Ben slowly felt his body waking up as the first light of dawn seeped through the curtains in Rey’s room.

The bed was a bit too soft for Ben’s taste, causing him to desperately miss his King sized bed back home. A bit stiff and sore, he groaned as he stretched his feet out under the sheets. His toes grazed the footboard. Rey purred at the movement. She actually purred? Confused, Ben blinked his bleary eyes open, staring back into the yellow orbs belonging to the tabby perched on his chest. The staring contest didn’t last long as the cat gave a lazy yawn directly in his face.

“Rey?” Ben whispered.

Rey issued a small ‘mmm’ in response.

“Do you have a cat?”

“Wuh?” She sleepily mumbled.

“A cat? Do you have a cat?” Ben repeated, louder this time.

Rey rolled over, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Oh! Hey there big boy.” Rey said, reaching over and rubbing the cat’s head. The cat began to purr again and Ben could feel the vibrations against his chest.

“This is Jakku. Jak-Jak for short. You’re not allergic are you?” She quickly asked.

Ben shook his head as he gave the animal another look over.

“No. Just…. More of a dog person I guess.” Ben admitted. Rey snorted.

“What?” Ben asked.

“Dog people are just people who have never owned a cat.” Rey scoffed as she gave Jak-Jaks chin a scratch. She gave Ben a sleepy smile.

“He must like you.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Laying on you like that. Normally he likes to hide. He’s very skittish. I found him as a stray hanging around the Farmers Market on Jakku street. That’s how he got his name.”

“Huh.” Ben said thoughtfully as he glanced one more time at the cat.

His eyes moved around the room, taking in the sights he had ignored the night before. The desk next to the door held a printer and a laptop. Several knickknacks and video game cases were stuffed on the shelf above the desk. An additional shelving unit was on the far wall packed with cardboard boxes meticulously hand labeled with parts for Rey’s job. The door to the adjoining bathroom was propped open. However, the bedroom door was shut.

“Was he in here all last night?” Ben asked, glancing back at Jak-Jak.

“He probably ran under the bed after the umbrella stand fell.” Rey deduced.

Ben suddenly felt embarrassed as Jak-Jak gave him a smug slow blink as if to say ‘Yeah, I heard what you did.’

A loud grumble interrupted his thoughts and Rey lightly giggled at the noise.

“I’m starving.” She said, cheeks flushing red at her growling stomach. “We didn’t eat dinner last night.”

“Well, I ate something.” Ben replied with a cheeky grin. She rolled her eyes at him and stood up. Jak-Jak hopped off Ben and went to follow her.

“I’ll make us breakfast.” Rey announced as she sifted through a dresser drawer for clothes. Ben just nodded, watching her as she went. He stretched his arms behind his head, thinking of how he could get used to this. Making love all night. Waking up next to her. Rey making him breakfast. All that was missing was a better bed, a dog, and most importantly - a different job.

A quick and very cramped shower later, Ben emerged from the bedroom into the small living room directly across from the equally small kitchen. Rey was at the stove in a thin tank top and knit shorts with her hair up in a single bun. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning down to rest his chin on her shoulder.

“Your apartment is tiny.” He commented before kissing her freckled shoulder.

“It’s not tiny. You’re just a giant.” She sassed back.

“That’s fair.” Ben said as he rubbed his hands back and forth across her hips.

“I was thinking after we grab your stuff from the hotel, we could hit the Farmers Market.” Rey said as she stirred the eggs in the pan on the stovetop.

“Sounds good.” Ben said, kissing the side of her neck. She giggled at the motion.

“Peppers okay in your omelet?” She asked him

“Yes please.” He said, moving away from her to explore the remaining half of the apartment.

The umbrella stand had been picked up and placed back in its spot next to the door. Two umbrellas were neatly tucked inside. There was tiny coat closet that had more cardboard boxes inside as well as a variety of jackets and sweaters and a very beat up looking light weight vacuum. The TV stand was sparsely decorated with some small Nintendo figures. The Razer headset was perched atop her XBox and Ben picked them up to examine them.

“Very nice.” He said to her, raising the headset in his hands so she could see what he was referring to.

“Thanks.” Rey said, looking over her shoulder. Her focus went back to the omelets. “They cost a pretty penny, that’s for sure.”

Ben placed the headset back down and made to move towards the rounded table set against the far wall of the room. There was a sudden yowl as Ben accidentally stepped on Jak-Jak’s tail that protruded from his hiding spot underneath the couch. Ben jumped back as Jak-Jak darted out from under the couch and back into the bedroom.

“He’ll be fine.” Rey said to him. Ben sheepishly gave her an apologetic look as she made her way to the table, a plate in each hand. Ben breathed in the scent of the food, his mouth watering. Yes. He could definitely get used to this.

\- - - - - - - - -

Ben wasn’t one for the walk of shame. Regardless, he couldn’t help but feel self conscious when it came to leaving the apartment in the clothes he had worn entering the night before. He had to remind himself that no one saw them come in. There was no door man in the lobby of Rey’s apartment building and they were lucky enough that none of buildings tenants had shared their elevator ride up.

“Let me grab my bag.” Rey said to Ben as he stood at the door patiently. He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. Rey stuffed a few reusable bags inside her messenger tote and slung it on her shoulder before swiping her keys off the hook. Ben graciously opened the door for her and they exited the apartment - just as Rey’s neighbor was coming in.

“Good morning Miss Zuvio!” Rey said cheerfully to the short and squat Filipino woman walking down the hall. In her arms she held a wire haired dachshund, who proceeded to growl at Ben.

“Hhmmph.” Miss Zuvio replied, her mouth turning down in a frown.

“Hi Teedo!” Rey said, reaching over to pet the dog. Teedo still growled but his tail began to lightly wag at the affection.

“Just get done with your morning walk?” Rey asked Miss Zuvio.

“Yes. “ She answered stiffly as she gave Ben a curious look.

“Oh! Miss Zuvio this is my um… This is Ben.” Rey said, awkwardly faulting in her introduction.

“I know his name.” Miss Zuvio huffed, annoyed.

Rey flushed red and Ben issued a nervous cough.

“Yes. Well. We’re off to the Farmers Market.” Rey said, taking Ben by the hand. “Have a good day!”

Miss Zuvio just harrumphed in response as she unlocked her door and went inside her apartment. Once in the elevator, Rey hid her face in her hands.

“I can’t believe she heard us! I feel so embarrassed.” Rey said. “Now I know just how thin the walls really are!”

“It’ll be okay.” Ben said, pulling her into him and wrapping an arm around her. “We’ll just have to remember to keep it down tonight.”

“I still need to ask her to check on Jak-Jak while I’m in San Diego! Oh, this is a disaster.” Rey worried, shaking her head. Ben just rubbed her shoulder and gave her a kiss on her temple as the elevator slowed to a stop.

Ben changed into a fresh pair of clothes and checked out of his hotel. With his suitcase stowed in the trunk of Rey’s car, they headed back towards her apartment and the Farmers Market. They walked hand in hand when Rey wasn’t procuring fresh vegetables and fruit from the various stands.

“I’ve got us dinner reservations tonight at Ivar’s.” Rey told him as they perused the booths. “I’ll make breakfast again in the morning. What time does your flight leave?”

“Not until three.” Ben said as he picked up an apple. He examined it before holding out to Rey. She smiled at him as she placed it in one of her bags. They paid for the fruit at the current stand before moving further into the market in search of additional groceries.

“So do you come here every weekend?” Ben asked as they made their way up the path. Rey gave a small shrug.

“Not every weekend. But it’s a short walks distance from my apartment. I can save on gas and get most of my produce here. Sometimes I’ll go to the flea market instead. There are some produce stands there too. And I nearly always leave with a good find.”

“Hmm.” Ben murmured. He looked around at the throngs of people at the market. He noticed a high number of couples also walking hand in hand. They passed by a florists booth and he noted several men making purchases for the ladies that accompanied them. He looked over at Rey, but she wasn’t interested in the flowers. She had stopped to purchase a loaf of sourdough bread from a bakers booth. She thanked the man working the booth and took her change, turning to face Ben. She followed his gaze for a moment, eyes landing on the flowers.

“They’re beautiful, but never in my budget.” Rey said as she tucked the bread into one of her bags. He reached out for her hand and she allowed her fingers to lace with his. 

“I think I can fix that.” Ben said to her. He tugged her over to the booth.

“Ben!” She protested lightly. He pulled her into him and placing a kiss on the side of her head.

“I want to get you one.” He said.

Rey chewed lightly on her bottom lip as she looked across the variety of flowers in front of her.

“You don’t need to do that Ben. Honestly.”

“I want to. Please Rey.” He said, taking his hand and resting it on her lower back as he encouraged her forward.

“Hi! Can I help you?” A young woman working the booth asked.

“Yes. I’d like one flower of the ladies choosing.” Ben said with a flourish. Rey blushed and the young woman giggled.

“Sure.” She responded, pulling a paper towel square out of her apron pocket. “Which one would you like?” She asked Rey.

Rey glanced up at Ben and he smiled down at her. Her gaze fell to the buckets of flowers lined up along the booth.

“One of the gardenias, please.” Rey said as she pointed out the white flower. The lady nodded plucked a gardenia from it’s bucket, using the paper towel to sop up the excess water. She wrapped it in a green paper and tied the end with a rubber band before handing to Ben. Ben paid and thanked the young woman. She nodded back and moved on to other customers.

“Why this one?” Ben asked Rey as he put his wallet away.

“Gardenias are full of a lot of meaning. They mean trust. Clarity. The start of something new. Dreams. Hope. And beauty.” Rey said as she reached to the take the flower from his hand. “Very appropriate. Don’t you think?”

Ben smiled, his cheek creasing.

“I agree. Appropriate.”

He watched her admire the flower for a moment before nervously clearing his throat.

“I want you to be my girlfriend Rey.” Ben blurted, running one hand through his hair. “If uh… If that’s okay with you. I know it’ll be long distance and complicated but I-”

Rey silenced him with a kiss, leaning up on her tiptoes and pressing herself against him. He allowed his arms to wrap around her, holding her steady. She dropped back down, shifting the bags in her hands.

“Of course I‘ll be your girlfriend.” She said with a grin.

“Yeah?”

“I’d been wondering if you were ever going to ask.” She admitted, her face flushed pink.

“Well….” Ben said trailing off, his turn to be bashful. “I wanted to do this right. And in person.”

Rey nodded in understanding.

“And the long distance doesn’t bother you at all?” He asked.

“It’s unfortunate, yes. But we’ll figure things out. Won’t we?” She asked as she reached for his hand.

“Right.” Ben agreed with a nod and then smirked. “Player Two has joined the game.”


	11. Warning!!! Challenger Approaching...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks up at the title* This isn't going to go the way you think. Or maybe it will. Let me know! A lot of filler in this one, but it all ends with some good stuff. Happy reading!

Rey dressed herself in a heather gray tea length dress with long flowing sleeves with cutouts in the shoulder. She curled her hair into tousled waves, a style Ben found he liked VERY much. Having been told the restaurant was on the cusp of fancy over casual - Ben had brought a crimson dress shirt to wear with his shiniest black pair of dress slacks and favorite black tie.

“You’re beautiful.” Ben breathed as Rey exited her bedroom into the living room. She nervously clutched an oblong white wristlet in her hand.

“And you’re very handsome.” Rey replied, nodding at him. “Nice to see you in a color besides black for once.” She teased.

Ben shrugged a shoulder before extending a hand to her. She wobbled over on a pair of barely worn heels, taking the hand he offered.

“Would you like me to drive or should we call an Uber?” Ben asked her. She paused a moment.

“Can you even fit in my drivers seat?” Rey asked.

“Guess we’ll find out.”

Ben indeed did fit in the drivers seat, but just barely. His knees threatened to touch the steering wheel. The Camry handled a bit rough, probably due to its age and whatever underlying issue it had with the throttle body. It definitely wasn’t as smooth of a ride as his car back home - but Rey seemed to love her little car. Her ‘little engine that could’ she called it. ‘Like me!’ She proudly added.

Ben hurried around to the passenger side to assist Rey out of the car. They walked hand in hand into the dockside restaurant and were promptly greeted by the host.

“Good evening. Did you have a reservation?” The host asked.

“Yes. It will be under Niima.”

The host scanned the list in front of him.

“Here it is! Niima, table for two. This way please.”

The host led them to a rounded table with a sand colored tablecloth. It faced a window which overlooked one of the many Seattle sounds, the Space Needle standing proudly on the opposite shore.

“Here we are. Your server will be with you shortly. Enjoy your evening!”

Ben and Rey murmured their thanks to the host. Ben took in the surroundings.

“This is a nice place.” He commented.

“I’m glad you like it. Hopefully you’ll enjoy the food as well. I saved up for this very occasion.”

Ben frowned.

“Surely you don’t expect me to let you pay.” He said, shaking his head at her.

“But I want to. You are my guest.” Rey said, pulling her napkin into her lap.

“This is our first date as a couple Rey. The least you can do is let me pay.”

“No.” Rey said firmly. “This is a special night. And as my boyfriend-” she put emphasis on the word. “-you can let me treat you from time to time.”

Ben stared at her for a moment. His beautiful and stubborn girlfriend. GIRLFRIEND. The girlfriend he paid hundreds of dollars to come visit. The girlfriend he would do anything for. If her paying meant so much to her, he would allow it. He found himself nodding and smiling at her.

“Thank you.” He murmured.

“You’re welcome.” Rey replied proudly.

Dinner was amazing. While Ben wasn’t big on seafood, the fish was cooked to perfection with all the right amounts of herbs and spices. They even enjoyed ice cream from a local creamery for dessert, served in a pizzelle cookie cup.

After entering Rey’s apartment, she turned to him and ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders.

“Did you have a nice time tonight?” She asked him.

“Of course. Thank you again for taking me out. Now you know it will be my turn to repay the favor when you’re visiting me.” He said, wrapping his arms around her.

“What kind of boyfriend would you be if you didn’t?” She teased, standing on her tip toes to kiss him.

“It will be my pleasure.” Ben responded. She grinned at his choice of words.

“That’s what I really wanted for dessert.” She purred, beckoning him towards the bedroom. He immediately followed.

Ben loosened his tie as he turned and reached for the doorknob. Jak-Jak squeezed out from under the couch and slinked towards him, pausing just outside the door.

“Sorry buddy.” Ben said to the cat, shaking his head. “There’s no way you’re getting in here tonight.”

And with that, he shut the door in the tabby’s face.

\- - - - - - - - -

It was Tuesday morning, which meant Ben was due back at work. He waved his badge in front of the sensor imbedded in the post outside the doors to the office. A nearly silent buzz indicated the doors had unlocked and he pulled them opened, sauntering inside. He had a messenger bag slung over one shoulder and a new tumbler in his hand filled with Pike’s Place brewed coffee.

“Morning Carl.” He said to the security guard. Carl lowered his doughnut slowly as Ben breezed past the security desk, his mind attempting in vain to recall the last time Ben Solo had greeted him.

“Nice tie Tom, is that new?” Ben asked the blonde intern as he passed. Tom nearly spilled the coffee he was pouring, startled that Ben had decided to acknowledge him.

Lightly humming to himself, Ben rounded the corner of the hall. He gave a few more smiles and nods to his associates as he approached his desk. Gwen was perched on the corner of Hux’s desk talking to Hux as he leaned back in his desk chair with his feet propped up next to his keyboard.

“Morning Gwen. Morning Armitage.” Ben said as he pulled his chair back away from the desk. He settled into his chair, placing his messenger bag under his desk and sliding his chair forward.

“Well, well, well. Look who returned.” Hux said snidely as he removed his feet from his desk.

“Someone’s in a good mood.” Gwen commented.

“I was just telling Gwen I wasn’t even sure you were going to show up today. You’ve been M.I.A. from your phone all weekend.” Hux chimed in.

“Sorry. I was busy.” Ben said as he casually took a sip of his coffee.

“More like busy GETTING busy.” Gwen said, reaching across the shared desk and pinching his cheek. “Look at that honey glow!!!”

Ben brushed her hand away like she was a pesky fly.

“And what’s this?” Gwen asked, taking the tumbler from his hand and examining the design. “The Space Needle?” She popped open the lid and took a sniff. “Let me guess. Seattle’s Best?”

“No.” Ben said, snatching the tumbler back from Gwen and re-securing the lid. “It’s Pike Place.”

“Aren’t you fancy?” Gwen replied sarcastically. She looked over at Hux and they shared a grin.

“So did you have fun?” Gwen asked him.

“I did what I went to do.” Ben said vaguely.

“Get laid?” Hux asked. He reached a hand out to Gwen and they slapped hands in solidarity.

“I had a nice time.” Ben said, ignoring their prying.

“With your GIRLFRIEND?” Hux teased.

Ben sighed and slumped back in his chair.

“Fine. Yes. Rey’s my girlfriend now.”

Hux and Gwen giggled like schoolchildren at the mention.

“It was great. She cooked me breakfast. We had dinner at a fancy restaurant. Even went to the Farmers Market.”

“The Farmers Market?” Gwen gasped, jealous. She reached over and slapped Hux in his shoulder. He yelped and flinched.

“You never take me anywhere!” She chided him.

“Butterbean, I take you lots of places!” Hux protested in his defense. Gwen scoffed and crossed her arms.

“Yeah - pound town. But never the Farmers Market!”

“How about I take you this weekend?”

“No! You’re only saying that because you know you’re in trouble.”

“Butterbean….” Hux trailed off as Gwen stood from the desk.

“I’m very happy for your Ben.” Gwen said to him with a smile. “I’m sure you make an amazing boyfriend.”

Ben nodded at her in thanks. Gwen shot a quick glare at Hux before stalking off towards her side of the office.

“Butterbean, huh?” Ben asked

Hux glared at him over the computer monitor, ignoring Bens mischievous grin.

“Thanks for that.” He spat.

“I didn’t do anything.” Ben said innocently. Suddenly, Hux shot up from his chair, standing straight as a rod.

“Good morning sir!” Hux said, eyes trained behind Ben’s back. Ben slowly moved his chair around to see Snoke glowering at him.

“So nice to see you among us desk jockeys - haha!” Hux nervously laughed. Snoke ignored Hux, his eyes focused on Ben.

“Enjoy your trip?” Snoke asked Ben in a displeased tone.

“As I matter of fact I did.” Ben answered.

“Mmm.” Snoke grunted. He looked over at Ben’s desk, eyes landing on the Space Needle tumbler and narrowing.

“I received an e-mail this morning.” Snoke announced to Ben, his chin held high. “From a Ms. Holdo….”

“Oh?” Ben asked. “And what did she say?”

“She praised your work ethics from this weekend.”

“How nice of her.”

Snoke frowned.

“She was also keen on mentioning how… happy -” He spat the word as if it was poison. “-she was to have been able to accommodate you. And that she’d be glad to have you assist at future events.”

“That’s great to hear, sir.” Ben said, nodding at Snoke. Snoke continued to glare at Ben.

“She was also curious as to WHY I declined to send representatives from my office in the first place.” He said, voice steadily rising. “I don’t APPRECIATE having my AUTHORITY QUESTIONED!” Snoke barked.

The office hushed at the outburst. Employees froze at their desks, staring as if they were watching a train wreck in slow motion. Ben remained unmoved as he held Snoke’s sweltering gaze.

“I will NOT have you UNDERMINING my authority. IS THAT CLEAR?” Snoke roared, his face beet red with anger.

“Crystal.” Ben replied through gritted teeth. A vein throbbed on Snoke’s bald head. An eye twitched. His wrinkled fingers were clenched in fists.

“And YOU!” Snoke barked, his eyes moving towards Hux. “SIT DOWN! You look like an IMBECILE standing there like that!”

“Yes sir. Thank you sir. So sorry sir.” Hux mumbled as he fumbled for his chair and sat down.

Snoke gave Ben once last sneer before turning and huffing away.

“KAREN! GET ME MY PILLS!” He yelled as he rounded the corner.

Ben could feel the eyes of several of his coworkers on him. He met a few of their gazes, his own eyes narrowing in response. The silence was lifted as they immediately went to back work, the office filling with the sounds of rustling papers, keyboard clacks and mouse clicks.

“You’re damn lucky you didn’t get fired.” Hux hissed to him minutes later.

“He can’t fire me.” Ben hissed back.

“Careful Ben.” Hux whispered in a warning tone. “You don’t want your personal life interfering with orders from Snoke.”

Ben didn’t want to admit it, but Hux was right. If he wanted any chance of leaving his job here unscathed, he would have to abide by Snoke - whether he liked it or not.

\- - - - - - - - -

Ben had already gone through his second roll of paper towels and it wasn’t even lunch time. A box of Magic Erasers was open atop his kitchen table next to a cylinder of Clorox wipes. Two full trash bags were already propped against the door waiting to be taken down to the dumpster behind the luxury apartment building. He silently cursed himself for letting his apartment get this grimy, but there was no way in hell he was going to let Rey stay inside a dirty apartment.

Ben was scrubbing furiously at a sticky orange stain of who knows what on his counter top. Was it soy sauce? When was the last time he had soy sauce anyways? His phone buzzed nearby on the kitchen table. Damp paper towel in hand, he moved to see who was calling. He gave a sigh of annoyance before answering.

“Hello?”

“Oh! You picked up. I wasn’t expecting you to pick up.”

“Hi Mom.”

“You said you would keep me posted on your trip, Ben. I haven’t heard from you in weeks. ”

“I’ve been busy with work.”

“You always say that. What day are you coming down?”

“Um… Saturday.”

“I was thinking of picking up a couple things from Maz’s for dinner. Would you prefer the stuffing casserole or the lasagna?”

“I really don’t care Mom.”

“What about the wheat rolls? You used to love those as a kid.”

“Fine, Mom.”

“I’ve already got dessert planned. You’re going to love it!”

“Great.”

“Oh Ben.” His mother sighed wistfully on the other end of the phone. “I’m so happy you’re coming for a visit. It’s been YEARS.”

“I know.”

“How long are you planning on staying? I’ve already got your old room ready in case you wanted to stay the night.”

“Moooom….”

“What? My boy is coming home! You can’t blame me for being excited.”

“That room is for a child. I’m almost thirty.”

“Don’t remind me. It makes me feel old.”

“You are old.”

“Hush your mouth! You sound like your father when you talk like that.”

It was Ben’s turn to sigh.

“Mom, can we not talk about him right now?”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” His mother hastily apologized. “What time do you get in on Saturday? I want to make sure I have the food ready by the time you get here.”

“I don’t know….” Ben trailed off as he calculated the drive time in his head. “Maybe five? Depends on traffic.”

“Five? I can work with that. And you’ll let me know if you get delayed?”

“Yes Mom.”

“Good. I’ll place the order with Maz right away.”

“Sounds good. We’ll see you Saturday.”

“WE?????”

‘FUCK!’ Ben cursed internally, wincing at his epic blunder.

“Who is WE????”

“I’ve got to go Mom.” Ben said hurriedly and he quickly ended the call.

He placed the phone back on the kitchen table. It immediately buzzed again. He let the call go to voice mail. Then his phone began to ping with several incoming text messages.

Mom: Pick up.

Mom: I know you’re there.

Mom: Are you bringing someone?

Mom: Is it a girl?

Mom: Is it a BOY?

Mom: You know I’d love you no matter what.

Mom: Your mother is very with the times.

Mom: *heart emoji* *smiling tongue out emoji* *winking face emoji* *praise hands emoji*

Ben rolled his eyes as he watched the text messages roll in. Thanks to his big mouth, the cat was out of the bag. Now there was no telling what sort of shenanigans his mother would get into when planning her dinner.

\- - - - - - - - -

It was the Friday Rey was set to arrive in L.A. Ben impatiently jiggled his foot as the minutes ticked by painstakingly slow. The clock on his computer monitor mocked him as time refused to turn over.

“Could you stop that? It’s making my desk shake.” Hux asked him, perturbed.

“Sorry.” Ben mumbled.

“Why did you even come in today?” Hux commented. “You’re not even doing any work. All you’ve done today is check your phone and get coffee.”

“It was the only way I could get Monday off.” Ben sighed. “Besides, she doesn’t even get in until five.”

“Well, don’t let Snoke catch you slacking off.” Hux said, turning back to his computer.

Ben’s phone issued a single beep, signaling a new text. He immediately whipped his phone off the desktop and swiped the screen to open to the message.

Rey: Doing some last minute packing. Do I need a swimsuit?

He smirked as he quickly tapped out a reply.

Ben: It wouldn’t hurt. My complex has a pool.

Rey: K

Ben waited for a more substantial reply than ‘K’, but his phone remained silent. He placed it back on his desk and decided to check his email.

*ping!*

Ben reached for the phone again, not expecting the message that loaded.

Rey: How’s this?

Rey: (Image Sent)

Ben nearly dropped his phone. Rey had sent a picture of herself in front of her bathroom mirror, modeling off a black one piece suit that had sheer panels in the middle and straps that crossed in the back.

Ben: Very nice. Love the color.

*ping!*

Rey: Or this?

Rey: (Image Sent)

This time the suit in question was red and gold stringy two piece. Ben felt his face split into a grin as he composed a reply.

“Wipe that goofy smile off your face!” Hux hissed at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what that look means. What does she think she’s doing? *scoff* Sending you nudes while you’re at work….”

“Pffff… She’s not sending me nudes.” Ben sneered in return.

*ping!*

“Okay. Well, she WASN’T sending me nudes.” Ben said, beaming. Hux gagged.

“I did NOT need to know that.”

“You’re just jealous.” Ben said as he texted Rey a quick reply before pocketing his phone.

“When I said no slacking off, that meant no jerking off either!” Hux sneered back.

Once three o’clock rolled around, an alarm on Ben’s phone went off. He had been prepared for this moment all day. His messenger bag was already packed and he swiftly signed out of his computer.

“I’m off to the airport. Don’t bother texting me unless it’s an emergency.” Ben said to Hux as he stood from his desk, slinging the messenger bag over his shoulder.

“Please - I wouldn’t DREAM of interrupting your romantic weekend getaway.” Hux replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“All right. See you.” Ben said, nodding to Hux as he turned to leave. He was halfway down the hall with the entrance doors in sight when he heard his name called from behind him. Ben paused before turning on a heel to face the

“And just WHERE do you think you’re going?” Snoke asked, arms crossed as he stood in the hallway. “The workday ends at five.”

“Yes sir, but I put in for an early release today. It’s my vacation weekend.” Ben replied without missing a beat. Snoke just glowered at him.

“That’s right. May I ask where are you headed?”

“To see my mother.”

“Mmmm.” Snoke said, looking at Ben over the rim of his glasses, disapproving of Ben’s half assed answer.

“Have a good weekend, sir.” Ben said, striding down the hall before Snoke could have anymore to say.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey gripped her phone in her hand as she exited the plane. A man in a business suit bumped rudely into her as he shoved his way to the front of the ramp, his phone pressed to his ear. Rey frowned. Ugh. Californians.

She paused outside the row of monitors to view which number carousel her suitcase would be dispensed out at down in baggage claim. She hurriedly texted Ben which half of the terminal she would be at. He swiftly replied he would be waiting for her. An idiotic grin on her face, she made her way through the crowds of LAX towards the luggage carousels.

She tried to peer out the wide windows that faced the busy sidewalk of loading and unloading passengers, but the crowds of people pushing their way closer to the carousels made it hard for her to get a glimpse of Ben waiting for her. She tapped her sandaled foot impatiently as the carousel slowly began to move. Suitcases and duffels protruded from the underbelly of the machine one by one. Spying her weathered gray suitcase with the torn handle, she squeezed past the two old men huddled in front of her and pulled at it with all her might, yanking it clear of the conveyer belts clutches.

She moved to the side and pulled her phone out once more.

Rey: Got my bag!

Ben: I’m outside.

Giddy, she tugged open the retractable handle of the suitcase and rolled it behind her out into the California sun. She looked down the sidewalk, lifting on her tip toes to see over the other people crowding the walkway. A flash of yellow caught her eye and her face broke into a grin. Nearly barreling over the sidewalk attendant, Rey raced down towards Ben.

He stood bashfully on the sidewalk clutching a paper wrapped bouquet of sunflowers. His hair was disheveled, having ran his hand through it one too many times as he waited. Rey abandoned her suitcase behind her and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her level. The paper rustled as he wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her close.

“I missed you.” He whispered to her before planting a delicate kiss on the side of her neck. She pulled back and planted her hands on either side of his face, kissing him multiple times.

“I missed you to.” She said, leaning back and admiring the way his cheek creased as he smiled down at her. He straightened and extended the sunflowers to her.

“Are these for me?” Rey asked, taking the flowers into her arms.

“Do you like them?”

“I do. They’re perfect.” Rey said, clutching the flowers to her chest.

“I’ll get your suitcase.” Ben said, reaching for luggage behind her.

“Okay.” Rey nodded. “Where did you park?” She asked as she looked towards the massive parking garage adjacent from the terminal.

“Right here.” Ben said, shucking a thumb at the black BMW X5 he had been standing next to. Rey blinked at him.

“THIS? Is your car?” Rey asked.

“Yup.” Ben said. He removed the key fob from his pants pocket and clicked it at the car. The headlights flashed and the doors clicked. Ben hauled her suitcase around to the back of the trunk, lifting the hatchback and placing her suitcase inside.

“You never told me you had a BMW.” Rey said, as she hovered on the sidewalk.

“Is that bad?” He asked, confused.

“No. It’s just a fancy car.”

“Pfffft.” Ben snorted. “It’s a 2012. I’d hardly call it fancy.” He walked around and opened the passenger side door for her.

Rey smiled at him sheepishly and climbed inside the car. She ran a hand down the leather of the middle console, smiling lightly at the Space Needle tumbler placed inside one of the cup holders behind the gear shift. Ben got in the car beside her, ducking his head as he went.

“Is everything okay?” He asked her as he buckled himself in.

“Mmmhmm!” Rey said between pressed lips and nodding. He smiled at her and reached for one of her hands and gently pressed a kiss to her knuckles, causing her to blush.

She was quiet as they began the drive towards Ben’s apartment complex. Her thoughts ranged everywhere from his car to his recent splurge of a trip to Seattle. Money was never a topic that came up between them. Why would it though? Rey wasn’t a gold-digger. The only money that mattered to her was her own. She had learned from an early age how to fend for herself - and that included how to get by with very little. She was slowly becoming aware of the fact that maybe Ben had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth….

“So I was thinking we could order take out for dinner tonight .” Ben said, interrupting her thoughts. “There’s a Chinese place I really enjoy that I order from frequently.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Rey said, her thoughts now focused on her grumbling stomach. Ben grinned at her as he expertly weaved his way through the evening traffic.

“And tomorrow we’ll leave for San Diego morning. See the sights a bit before dinner.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“I figured you’d want to stay in tonight.” He turned his head and gave her a pointed look. “You know, considering those pictures you sent me today. While I was at work….”

Rey grinned cheekily at him.

“Oh yes. I definitely want to stay in tonight.”

Once they arrived at Ben’s apartment their love making was all over the place.

Impatient, he ate her out on his leather sectional, followed by him taking her from behind - her hands creasing the leather as she clung to the back of the couch. They then christened the new bed sheets Ben had recently purchased ahead of her stay. He held her legs apart, her ankles propped on his massive shoulders as he pounded deep into her at the edge of his bed. Her cries of pleasure echoed throughout his bedroom and Rey didn’t even give any thought to if the walls here were just as thin as they were in her own apartment back home.

Starving and smelling heavily of sex, Ben placed an order with Peking Gourmet before joining Rey in the bathroom for a shower. She proceeded to suck him off under the rainwater showerhead, one hand gripping her hair tightly, the other on the shower door helping to balance him. Following the shower, Rey raided Ben’s dresser for a t-shirt, pulling it over her damp hair. She padded out into his massive living room as she tucked her hair up into a messy bun.

Ben was at the door handing folded bills to the curly haired delivery boy at the door. He took the two plastic bags that were handed to him, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

“Let me help you with that.” Rey said, coming over to take a bag from him.

“That’s my shirt.” He commented to her as she took one of the bags from his hands.

“My suitcase is still in your car, remember?” She said as she laid the bag down on his kitchen counter.

“Oh yeah.” Ben said. He came over and set his bag next to her, leaning down and kissing her cheek. “Well, it looks good on you.”

They spread the food out across the countertop and Ben fished out plates for them to use. As they settled down to eat, Rey inquired about the plans for Saturday.

Ben flexed his jaw nervously, focusing on stirring his rice instead of looking at Rey.

“I uh….. I told my mother I’d be down this weekend.” He said.

“Oh…” Rey said, recalling Ben’s vague and unpleasant history with his parents.

“She’s expecting me, well, US for dinner.”

Rey nearly choked on her food.

“Oh!” She said, surprised by this revelation. “That sounds um…. Well um…”

“You can just say it.” Ben said, sighing. “Awkward.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.” Rey said, shaking her head.

“Showing up after ten years to introduce my girlfriend to my mother? I’d definitely call that awkward.”

“You haven’t been home in ten years?” Rey balked.

“Roughly.” Ben admitted, hanging his head. He sighed and set his utensils down, leaning back in his chair in a huff.

“It’s just…. I was never good at relationships. Probably have my mom and dad to thank for that. I’ve never had a reason to go back. To want to go back.” He shook his head. “Not until now.”

“Oh Ben…..” Rey said, reaching over to grab for his hand. She squeezed it fiercely. “I would love to meet your mum.” Rey said.

“You would?” He asked incredulously. Rey nodded.

“Of course I would. I’m happy you want me to be there when you come home. It…. It means a lot.” Rey said, swallowing down a lump in her throat.

Ben sighed and took his hand from her, running it through his hair as he often did.

“Good. That’s good. I’m glad.” He said, nodding. “She can be… A bit dramatic at times.”

“What makes you say that?”

“My mom is…. Well…. She’s very competitive. And she likes to make a big deal out of things.”

“Gee, I wonder where you get your competitiveness from then.” Rey teased.

“Ha ha.” Ben replied sarcastically. He picked up his fork again and stabbed it into a piece of chicken.

“I just hope she hasn’t planned some massive party or something.”

\- - - - - - - - -

In the morning they woke up wrapped up in each other, still naked from the night before. After a quick pre-breakfast romp - or two - Rey hopped in the shower while Ben retrieved her suitcase from his car so she could dress for the day.

Rey browsed through Ben’s kitchen while he took his turn in the shower. It was quite obvious he lived a bachelors life. The front of his fridge was littered with several take out menus attached by magnets from said restaurants. Inside, the fridge held several protein drinks, half a case of beer, a gallon of milk, a nearly empty carton of orange juice, a single egg, and a few vegetables of questionable freshness. She moved to his pantry, finding what was probably the largest jar of peanut butter JIF had to offer and a bulk box of Lara bars. She sifted past three bags of unopened tortilla chips and found a box of frosted mini-wheats. Deciding that was as good of a breakfast as she was going to get, she stepped back from the pantry - grabbing a Lara bar in addition for good measure.

Ben emerged from his hallway and into the kitchen, drying his hair with a towel. Rey snorted into her cereal at the sight of him.

“What?” He asked, frowning.

“You’re wearing shorts.”

“So?”

“So I’ve never seen you in shorts before. Look how hairy your legs are!”

“You’ve seen me naked.” Ben said, throwing the towel on the countertop with a light ‘thwack’,

“To be fair I’m often distracted by other parts of you when you’re naked.” Rey said, spooning her mini-wheats into her mouth.

“I guess that’s fair.” Ben replied. He took the box of cereal from her and made himself a bowl.

With Rey’s suitcase back in Ben’s car, accompanied by Ben’s duffel - they headed down the California freeway towards San Diego. They took two pit stops along the way to his mothers house.

Fist, they stopped at La Jolla beach. La Jolla was a scenic, yet smelly, location home to several sea lions. They sunned themselves on rocks, barked in the surf, or relaxed on the sand. The locals respected the animals, paddle boarding and snorkeling in the shared water, making sure to keep a respectable distance. Tourists on the other hand looked past the signs warning pedestrians to stay clear the sea lions, approaching them for selfies and putting their lives at risk.

Next on the stop, Ben took her to Coronado beach. Coronado was beautiful, with golden flecks reflected in the sand as they walked hand in hand along the edge of the beach. At one point Ben lifted Rey up over his shoulder, faking an attempt to throw her into the cold waters of the Pacific. She shrieked and laughed, Ben ultimately letting her down. She shoved him playfully, shrieking again as the frothy sea foam rushed the shore, swallowing their ankles.

As they neared their destination, Rey became increasingly silent as nerves set in.

“What if she doesn’t like me Ben?”

“Hmmm?”

“Your mum. What if she doesn’t like me? I never met any of my previous boyfriends parents. Hell, I don’t even have parents to introduce YOU to.”

“It will be fine. She’s going to be over the moon for you.” Ben said, reaching over and giving her knee a squeeze. “Trust me.”

They drove through winding streets that overlooked the coastline. Perfectly manicured lawns and houses of varying Spanish styles screamed ‘posh’. Ben slowed down as he approached a two story white house with red clay roof titles. Small hedges and brick posts created a low fence around the front of the house. The double car garage was open with a white Audi A4 parked inside. Ben pulled into the sloped driveway and parked behind the Audi.

Rey noted Ben nervously rubbed his hands back and forth on the steering wheel before shutting down the engine to his car. She reached over and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze and he gave her a small crooked smile in return. They got out of the car and Ben approached the front door. They both held hands nervously as Ben rang the doorbell.

Rey glanced up at Ben as they waited. His jaw clenched and unclenched, freezing stiffly in place once they heard the click of the wooden door being unlocked. Rey bit her lip and held back a gasp at the beautiful older woman who answered the door. She was barely Rey’s height. Her hair was brown laced with gray and it was braided expertly in an elegant fashion. She wore a silky turquoise top with a chunky beaded necklace, crisp white Capri pants with a pair of Birkenstock sandals.

“Ben!!!” The woman said exuberantly. She took a step forward as if she was moving to embrace him, but she second guessed her action.

“Hello Mom.” Ben said professionally, as if he was greeting a business partner.

“And who is THIS?” Ben’s mother asked, her attention turning to Rey. Rey could practically smell the anticipation of friendly contact rolling off her.

“Ms. Solo, I’m Rey. It’s so very nice to meet you.” Rey said, sticking out her hand for a handshake.

“It’s Ms. Organa, dear. But please - call me Leia.” Leia said, as she welcomed Rey’s handshake.

"Come in! Come in!” She beckoned.

Rey entered the house behind Leia with Ben shutting the door behind them. A curved staircase with brightly covered tiles on the steps was off to the side. Leia shuffled down a white hallway adorned with large canvas paintings.

“I’ve got a few things in the oven keeping warm.” Leia said over her shoulder to them as they followed. “I hope you’re hungry. The smell has been enticing us all afternoon!”

“Us?” Ben asked sharply, halting in his steps.

“Yes, us. Your Uncle is here. Who else would I be talking about?” Leia replied airily. Rey looked up at Ben, studying his reaction. Ben ran his free hand through his hair, slightly agitated. It was just his Uncle. He could handle that.

“Rey, would you care for anything to drink? Sparking water? Perhaps iced tea? I can’t help but notice your accent.” Leia looked at Ben with curious eyes. “I know how fond the English are of their tea.”

“Oh! Um, some iced tea would be fine. Thank you.” Rey said politely. Leia pulled a fancy glass pitcher from the stainless steel fridge. Ice cubes and lemon wedges danced in the pitcher as Leia poured her a glass.

“Where is Uncle Luke?” Ben asked as he looked around the kitchen, taking in all the changes in décor that had changed over the years.

“Lying down in the guest room. He flew in from Phoenix this morning. He’s very tired.” Leia said. Ben simply nodded.

“I’m impressed Mom.” Ben said. “I was half expecting you to have invited Dad.”

“Mmm.” Leia replied, wandering over to the oven and peeking inside at the warming dishes.

“You didn’t invite Dad, did you?” Ben asked.

“Hmmm?” Leia hummed, as she adjusted the knobs on the oven. Ben’s eyes narrowed and he stepped away from the kitchen and into the adjoining dining room. His eyes scanned over the set table, counting the place settings. One, two, three, four, five, and six.

“Mother.” Ben said firmly.

“What was that dear?” Leia called to him.

“Please tell me you didn’t invite Dad.” Ben practically pleaded.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Leia asked innocently, tilting her head up at her massively tall son.

“There are six place settings. Please tell me you didn’t invite Dad.” Ben repeated.

Leia opened her mouth to reply but her next excuse was drowned out by the roaring sound of an obnoxious sports car out in the street. Ben glanced towards the front door in horror before turning back to Leia, eyes aflame.

“I may have mentioned to Maz how you were coming home. You know how talkative she can be. The woman can never keep a secret.”

“Oh God.” Ben said, his hands flying up to cover his face in frustration. An engine revved loudly in the driveway.

“I’m going to tell him off.” Ben announced as he made a beeline for the front door.

“You will do no such thing!” Leia exclaimed, hurrying after him.

“Ben, wait!” Rey called after them.

Ben flung open the wooden door and stomped out onto the front porch. A sleek silver Mustang convertible was parked in the driveway beside Ben’s car. A tall man with gray hair and aviator sunglasses was getting out of the car.

“Hey kid!” The man, said waving a hand at Ben. “Good to see you!”

“Oh Han, he looks so much like you!” said the auburn haired woman who stepped out from behind Ben’s car to join Ben’s dad at his side.

“Ben? Who is that?” Rey whispered, placing a gentle hand on Ben’s bicep - his arms angrily crossed.

“Qira. My step-mom.”


	12. Ready.... FIGHT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the delay on this update! A two month wait? Eeep! My bad! If you're looking to place blame - the culprits are my other WIPs and my house being hit by a stomach bug, followed by a good ol' dose of depression.
> 
> I hope ya'll like this chapter. This meeting has been brewing since the very beginning of RPO so it was great to finally get it written. Happy Reading!

Ben stood fuming as his father and step-mother approached the porch. Her hand still poised in his bicep, Rey could feel how tense and stiff Bens muscles were in his tightly crossed arms. Ben hadn’t mentioned that his father had re-married…

“Put ‘er there, pal.” Han said, sticking a large hand out for his son to shake. Ben’s nostrils flared as he stared his father down, ignoring the gesture. Han quickly and sheepishly lowered his hand and instead turned to Rey as he removed his sunglasses.

“Well! Your mother said you were bringing a guest. Nice to meet you. I’m Han.”

Han extended a hand towards Rey this time and she politely reached to shake his hand. His handshake was firm, his large fingers feeling slightly calloused.

“I’m Rey.”

“Oh! I just LOVE your accent!” Qira replied, pushing herself in front of Han and reaching for Rey’s hand to shake next. “Qira Voss-Solo. Pleasure to meet you.”

Rey just weakly smiled at the woman.

“New car?” Leia asked from next to Rey. Han turned and looked back at the Mustang before turning back to his ex-wife.

“No. Same car. Just had the engine upgraded.”

“Han is co-owner of Harris & Son Ford.” Qira told Rey smugly. Han grinned and puffed out his chest.

“You wouldn’t have guessed it, but I’m the son in this scenario.” He laughed. Qira laughed alongside him, clutching at his arm.

“Well.” Leia said, nervously patting at her hair. “Dinner will be ready shortly. We should head inside. Ben? Han? May I speak with you both for a moment? Privately?”

Rey glanced up at Ben. He glanced down at her, a flash of hurt and worry in his eyes.

“I’ll be fine.” Rey whispered to him, giving his arm a squeeze. Ben heavily sighed and lowered his crossed arms. He grasped at her hand and pulled her close enough so he could press a quick kiss to her forehead. She offered him a small smile of encouragement.

“Is the powder room still off to the left, Leia?” Qira asked. Leia nodded her response.

“Oh good. I wanted to freshen up before dinner.” Qira said. Han placed a hand on Qiras lower back, guiding her as they filed inside. Leia shut the door behind everyone. Ben headed for the stairs.

“I’ll be gone just a moment dear.” Han said to Qira.

They kissed in a manner that was more suited for a teenage couple, instead of the mature adults that they were supposed to be. Ben visibly gagged before continuing his climb up to the second floor of the house. Leia silently followed, soon joined by Han.  
Qira gave Rey a dashing smile as she passed on her way to the powder room. A door clicked shut somewhere above her. And just like that, Rey was left alone in the foyer.

She quickly sighed to herself. Well! That certainly was awkward.

She retrieved her glass of ice tea from the kitchen, sipping it gently as she meandered through the house. There was a family room off to the left of the kitchen with a large couch and entertainment center with a pair of doors that led to the backyard. The dining room was off to the right on the other side of the kitchen. Rey cut through the dining room and into a small living room that housed a few bookshelves and armchairs as well as massive canvas painting. Off to the far side, Rey could see a cluttered mahogany desk through an open door that must lead into an office.

Rey turned her attention back to the painting. It nearly took up the whole wall. It faced out the windows that overlooked the front yard. It was an interesting painting for sure. It reminded her of a desert. Brightly colored with tones of orange, yellow, and red. Two perfect circles were painted in the upper corner of the artistic landscape.

“Do you like it?”

Rey gave a shout, nearly spilling her drink as she jumped. She turned to see a gray haired man with a beard watching her from the foyer.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” The man said as he entered the room. He was a wearing a strange outfit, something like a tawny colored kimono.

“I was just startled. That’s all.” Rey said to him. The man gave her a small smile and tilted his head at her.

“So. The painting.” He said, nodding his chin at the wall. “Do you like it?” He repeated.

Rey turned back to the painting, admiring it once more.

“It’s interesting.” Rey said finally. “The colors. They’re very vibrant. And warm.”

The man beamed.

“That’s right. You can almost feel the heat -” The man held out a hand towards the painting. “- radiating from the canvas itself.”

“Who is the artist?” Rey asked the stranger, curious.

“You’re looking at him.” The man said matter of factly.

The pieces clicked together for Rey. This must be Ben’s Uncle - Luke.

“Oh!” Rey said. “Oh. I didn’t know.”

Luke gave a small shrug of his shoulders.

“No worries. I prefer being somewhat of an unknown artist. Makes my life as a hermit that much easier.”

“Is… Is this a real location?” Rey asked, gesturing to the painting.

“It is. If you consider your dreams real.”

“Ah. And the circles?”

“There to represent myself and my sister.”

“I thought they were suns.” Rey admitted bashfully. Luke smiled at her.

“In a way, they are. The sun is a central part of our universe. Of our lives. As humans, we need the sun to survive. As people, we need each OTHER to survive. Just like how I need my sister, and how she needs me.”

Rey looked at the painting again and then back at Luke with a smile.

“You’re very good with words. And art.”

“Bah….” Luke said, waving a hand at her. “My work isn’t all it’s cracked out to be. Hell, I was high when I painted that!” He said. Rey’s eyes went wide and Luke began to laugh at her reaction.

“Come on now. I was once young myself. I know what young people like to do.”

“Well I don’t-”

“I know, I know.” Luke interrupted, waving a hand again and wandering out into the foyer. Rey found herself following him.

“You don’t seem like the type.” He stopped and turned to her. “I’m a very good reader of people. And you?” He paused as he took her in and she could feel her cheeks begin to warm. “You are a good person.”

“Am I?” She asked with a small laugh.

“Maybe too good for my nephew.” Luke said, cocking his head to the side. “I haven’t decided yet.”

Luke turned to the canvas painting in the hallway that led from the foyer back into the kitchen, the one she had passed earlier when she first arrived. This one wasn’t as large as the painting from the living room, but it was obvious it was created using the same type of oil paints. The colors were a beautiful blend of blues and purple. A hint of yellow. A bit of pink. A swirling vortex in the middle surrounded by a splattering of stars. It reminded Rey of the Milky Way.

“And what of this one?” Luke asked her, clasping his hands behind his back. “What do you think of this one?”

Rey pursed her lips as she studied the painting.

“I get…. A sense of calmness? I suppose? The colors… Mysterious, yet soothing? Almost curious.”

“Interesting….” Luke mused as he nodded alongside her.

“Were you high when you painted this one too?” Rey cheekily asked before taking a sip of her drink.

“Oh no.” Luke said, shaking his head. “I didn’t paint this.”

“Then who did?”

Luke gave her a knowing smile with a twinkle in his eye.

“Your boyfriend.”

Rey nearly choked on her drink.

“Ben?” She sputtered. “Ben painted….. This?”

Luke nodded and Rey could only gaze upon the painting with a newfound wonder. Ben was immensely talented. More so than he had let on.

“Yes. Some of his earlier work. Which was some of his best work if you ask me.”

“Is there any more of his paintings here?” Rey asked, as she wandered into the living room in search of more art.

“No. He destroyed a lot of it.” Luke said solemnly. Rey opened her mouth to inquire when a muffled series of angry shouts filtered down from the second floor, distracting them. Luke looked up at the ceiling.

“What’s that about?” He asked her.

“Oh. Um, well -”

“Ah. Han’s here.” Luke said, cutting her off with an understanding nod. “Say no more. Sorry you had to be witness to this.”

“It’s fine.” Rey said as she smiled sheepishly. The smile slid into a serious frown.

“Why does Ben hate his father? Is it because he re-married?” Rey asked. Luke shook his head.

“He doesn’t hate him. And it’s much more than that. But that is not my story to tell.”

“Right.” Rey said, looking down into her glass. It was empty now, save for a couple of ice cubes.

“Here. I’ll get you a refill.” Luke offered, reaching for her glass.

“Thank you.”

While Luke refilled her glass, Qira emerged from the powder room and strode into the kitchen as if this was her own home.

“Oh. Luke. You’re here.” Qira said with a sniff.

“Qira.” Luke simply replied as he handed Rey back her drink.

There was a slam of a door above and heavy footsteps trailed after it. Ben stormed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Flinging open the fridge he grabbed a bottle of beer, cracking it open swiftly before taking a long drink. Han and Leia soon followed. Leia wore a forced smile as Han made a beeline for his wife.

“Luke? Will you help me serve the dinner?” Leia asked as she quickly busied herself with the oven.

“Sure thing sis.” Luke said. He gave Rey a quick wink before moving to assist Leia with bringing the food into the dining room. Rey moved over to Ben as he stood at the kitchen sink, quietly drinking his beer.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” He muttered to her.

“It’s okay.” She began.

“No. It’s not okay.” Ben snapped. He sighed, hanging his head slightly. “I’m sorry.” He said again. “I…. I just wasn’t ready to see him again.”

Rey just nodded and moved closer to him, reaching over a hand and rubbing at his shoulder.

“We don’t have to talk about it.” She said to him softly.

“I’d say let’s get out of here but…. I know you’re hungry. And I know how much you like food.”

Rey lightly laughed.

“You’re right. I do like to eat. And I am pretty hungry.”

Ben reached an arm around her and pulled her into his side, kissing the top of her head.

“Despite all this shit going on…. I’m glad you’re here.” He whispered into her hair. Rey wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

“Me too.” She said.

“Dinner’s ready!” Leia called into the kitchen.

\- - - - - - - - -

Rey and Ben sat across from Han and Qira with Luke and Leia on either end of the table. A variety of foods were spread atop the table. A dish of lasagna, a basket of rolls, three types of side dishes and a very large bottle of wine that Leia frequently was reaching for.

“So! Rey!” Qira spoke up as silverware clinked around them. “Your accent, is it from London?”

“Oh. Um. Yes. It is.”

“How interesting! Which part are you from?”

“Um… Westminster I believe. I moved when I was still very little.”

“Ah! I would love to travel there one day. Maybe when Mr. Workaholic here finally gives in and takes a vacation!” She gave a light laugh.

“I’m the workaholic?” Han snorted. “This one just won realtor of the year for the third year in a row!” He jerked a thumb in the direction of his wife.

“Oh stop!” Qira gushed, even though her tone suggested Han keep bragging about her. “Yes, I suppose you could say I’m locally famous. You may have seen my face on one of our many billboards. For Crimson Dawn Realty?” She looked confused by Rey’s blank face. “No? We have offices all up the coast of Southern California!”

“Oh. Well, I don’t live in California.” Rey said.

There was a pause as the eyes of the adults flicked back and forth between herself and Ben.

“Where are you from then?” Leia asked, eyeing her son as she spoke.

“Seattle.”

“And how did you meet?”

“Through work.”

“That makes sense.” Han said. “Microsoft has an office up north. Right Ben?”

Ben chose to ignore his father.

“Actually, I work for Nintendo. Not Microsoft.”

Han leaned back in his seat, looking impressed.

“How about that! You guys sell that tablet thing. What’s it called? A Nintendo Swap?”

“Nintendo Switch.” Rey corrected.

“That’s right. Couple of the tech guys down at the dealership have one.”

“That doesn’t explain how you met then, if you work for different companies.” Leia pressed.

“I was sent to L.A. to work a gaming convention back in June. We kept running into each other over the summer at difference conventions. ”

“I see….” Leia said. “So what brings you down here? Another convention?”

“Something like that. A sales and marketing meeting.”

“Oh I love those!” Qira interrupted.

“And… Is this….” Leia trailed off as she looked between the two of them.

“Mother.” Ben said firmly in a warning tone.

“Serious?” Leia finished.

“Come on Leia.” Han said. “Would she be here if this wasn’t serious? Leave the kid alone.”

“Will you pass the potatoes?” Ben asked loudly.

“But you hate mashed potatoes.” Leia said, frowning.

“Just….. Pass the potatoes please.” Ben said.

Leia sighed and passed a ceramic bowl down to Ben. He slapped a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto his plate, but did not touch them. There was a lull in conversation as they ate the dinner. Luke made a couple of compliments on the food with Leia giving the credit to the caterer, Maz.

“So… Rey….” Leia asked as dinner slowed down. “Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?”

An honest question. Rey opened her mouth to reply but Qira started to laugh.

“Leia…” Qira began in a twittering tone. “She’s British! They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving!”

Leia’s cheeks went pink with embarrassment.

“I’ve still been invited to several Thanksgiving dinners.” Rey answered quickly, hoping to ease the situation. “It’s very kind of you to think of me.”

Leia shot Qira a smug look across the table at this. Qira frowned and pushed some vegetables around on her plate.

“We haven’t discussed the holidays.” Rey said, giving a glance over at Ben. He was focused on tearing up one of the wheat rolls.

“You are certainly more than welcome to spend Thanksgiving with us. It would be such a joy if you and Ben could make it down. He hasn’t been home for Thanksgiving in such a long time.”

“I’ve been busy.” Ben grunted.

“Well Han and I have been planning to spend Christmas up at our cabin in Lake Tahoe. It once belonged to my dearly departed first husband Dryden.” Qira placed a hand over her heart and gave a pathetic sniff as if she was still mourning his death. Han didn’t bat an eye as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.

“Lake Tahoe is MUCH closer to Seattle than San Diego. Perhaps you two would like to spend Christmas with us?”

“Hard pass.” Ben snapped.

“Ben.” Han said firmly. “Don’t speak to your step-mother like that.”

Ben slapped down his napkin and shot daggers at his father. His father stared sternly back.

“If anything, Ben and Rey ought to come spend Christmas down here.” Leia said with a huff. “I’ve managed to keep up all the FAMILY traditions over the years. Rey, do you like gingerbread houses?”

“Han and I were also discussing the idea of taking a Christmas cruise instead. The dealership has been doing so well as of late, we’ve been fortunate enough to spoil ourselves. Have you ever been on a cruise, Rey?”

“I’ve been on a duck boat.” Rey offered. Qira tutted at this.

“Luke, weren’t you saying in the car the other day you were going to come for Christmas?”

“Leave me out of this please.” Luke said simply. He stood up, gripping his silverware and plate. “I’m going to get some fresh air. Ben?”

Ben’s head snapped up at his name being called by his Uncle.

“Care to join me?”

Without a word, Ben heaved himself up from his seat. He left his dinner plate on the table as he followed his Uncle through the kitchen and out the porch doors.

“Rey, be a dear and help me with the dessert?” Leia asked, shooting a petty look in Qiras direction.

“Um. Sure.” Rey said. She brought her and Bens dishes into the kitchen, placing them gently in the sink on top of Lukes.

“I hope you like pineapple upside down cake.” Leia said as she bustled towards the refrigerator. “It’s Ben’s favorite.”

\- - - - - - - - -

Luke and Ben leaned against the railing of the back porch, overlooking the impeccably landscaped backyard.

A few bird feeders hung from a nearby tree. A wind chime faintly tinkled from the corner of the deck. A series of stepping stones led from the porch steps and he didn’t need to look to know that one of them was the handprint stone he had made her for Mother’s Day when he was five. He knew it was still there.

There as a clicking noise as Luke swiftly lit a cigarette. He offered the pack to Ben.

“No thanks. I quit.” Ben said.

“No kidding?” Luke asked, the words mumbling around the cigarette held in between his lips. 

Ben hesitated for a moment, the pack still extended to him.

“Fuck it.” Ben said, snatching the pack out of his Uncle’s hand. Luke passed over the lighter and Ben expertly lit his cigarette before passing the items back.

“Why’d she have to invite him?” Ben asked his Uncle. Luke sighed.

“You know your mother. She was just excited is all… She missed you.”

Ben hung his head and took a quick drag on the cigarette. The taste felt weird on his tongue, having not smoked in months.

“Why are you here?” Luke asked after a beat.

“Rey has that sales meeting.” Ben said with a shrug.

“Why are YOU here?” Luke repeated.

“I don’t know….” Ben trailed off. “It’s been a while.”

“Ten years.” Luke mused aloud with a nod. Ben frowned.

“Anything else?” Luke pried. Ben remained silent, taking another short drag of the cigarette.

“She’s very nice.” Luke then said, leaning back from the railing.

“Mmm.”

“Perhaps this relationship of yours… Made you feel a bit sentimental?”

“…. Maybe.”

“It takes a very special woman for that to happen.”

“What do you know? You never married.” Ben huffed.

“I observe enough.” Luke said. “Besides, I was there in the beginning with your parents. Before…”

“Before it turned to shit?”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“It’s true.”

“Ben-”

“Ben?”

Rey had stepped out onto the porch.

“Shit!” Ben muttered under his breath, quickly crushing the cigarette out on the railing.

“Fresh air, huh?” She quipped, crossing her arms at him. He gave her a sheepish smile.

“Dessert is ready.” She announced to them. Luke nodded and made to move back into the house.

“It was lovely to meet you Rey.” Luke said, pausing on his way inside. He cocked his head a bit as he looked at her. “Perhaps you are too good for my nephew.”

Stunned, Rey just blinked back at Luke. Luke gave her a warm smile.

“That’s a good thing.” He told her, clapping a hand on her shoulder before breezing past her.

After Luke went inside, Rey approached Ben at the railing.

“That was weird.”

“He’s weird.” Ben replied. Rey laughed.

“Sorry about the-” Ben said, gesturing to the crushed cigarette and ash on the railing.

“I don’t mind.” Rey said. “You’ve had a rough night.”

“You can say that again.” Ben replied with a snort.

“So…. That step-mother of yours…. How old is she exactly?”

“Four years older than my mother.”

Rey balked at this.

“Really? But she looks like she’s forty!”

“She’s had some work done.” Ben retorted with an un-amused look.

"And her first husband?"

"All I know about him is that he died unexpectedly. Wouldn't be surprised if she was behind it though."

“Your mother and Uncle are nice.”

“They can be.”

“Your father, too.”

“Hmmph,” Ben grunted as he flicked the cigarette butt into the bushes. He smirked, knowing his mother would no doubt send him a text message later on, scolding him for littering in her azaleas. Just like she did when he was seventeen and tossed his cigarette butts out his bedroom window.

“So what’s for dessert?” Ben asked as he pushed himself away from the railing.

“Pineapple upside down cake.” Rey said with a grin. A smile tugged at Bens mouth.

“Well… At least this night hasn’t been complete shit.”

\- - - - - - - - -

Ben all but inhaled his dessert. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Leia asked as she packed up what was left of the cake into a plastic container. “I can move Luke to your room so that you two may have the guest room!” 

“Hey!” Luke said, partially offended.

“We’ve already got a hotel reservation downtown.” Ben answered stiffly.

“Thank you for the offer Leia.” Rey answered politely.

“We should get going.”

“We ought to head out as well.” Han said from behind them in the foyer.

“Yes. Hopefully Chewie behaved himself while we were gone.” Qira added.

The mention of a dog caught Ben’s attention.

“You still have Chewie?” Ben asked. The question was directed at Han but he did not look at him.

“Goodness, no!” Qira said with a laugh. Ben’s face twisted into a confused frown.

“We had him put down four years ago. Poor thing went blind. This is the new dog - Chewie the THIRD.”

“YOU KILLED MY DOG?!?!?” Ben cried out.

Luke had to pull Ben back as he tried to advance towards Han.

“Come on, kid. He was getting on in years. It was for the best.” Han said in his defense.

“You didn’t tell me?” He snapped, turning on his mother.

“Well I-” Leia started.

“See? This is why I don’t come home.” Ben shouted at his parents.

“Ben!” Rey said firmly.

Ben stopped and turned to her, breathing heavily.

“I…. I’m sorry. I’m just-”

“I know.” Rey said in a calming tone with a nod of her head. “I know.” She repeated.

There was an awkward silence throughout the foyer.

“It was good to see you again, kid.” Han said. He fidgeted like he wanted to reach out for his son again, but took a step back as he reconsidered. 

“Nice to meet you Rey.” He said instead, giving her a crooked smile.

“Thanks for dinner Leia.” Han said, giving a nod to his ex. Leia simply gave him a weak smile in return. Qira did not say goodbye as she stalked out the front door.

No one said anything until the insufferable roar of the Mustangs engine died in the distance.

“He’s trying Ben.” Leia said gently.

“A little bit late for that, don’t you think?” Ben snarkily retorted. Leia just sighed before turning to Rey.

“Do come and visit again soon.” Leia told Rey, wrapping her up into a motherly hug that nearly brought her to tears.

“Thank you for having me over for dinner.”

“Anytime dear. And thank YOU… For bringing my son home.”


End file.
